Direct flights between India and China to resume from late October this year

Direct flights between India and China are set to resume from late October, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Thursday.

“It has now been agreed that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October 2025, in keeping with the winter season schedule, subject to commercial decision of the designated carriers from the two countries and fulfilment of all operational criteria,” the MEA said in a media release.

This move is seen as part of a broader diplomatic strategy, as India seeks to reduce its reliance on the United States and strengthen ties with neighbouring partners.

“Since earlier this year, as part of the Government's approach towards gradual normalisation of relations between India and China, the civil aviation authorities of the two countries have been engaged in technical-level discussions on resuming direct air services between the two countries and on a revised Air Services Agreement,” MEA statement added.

This hints that an announcement of a new air services agreement between the two nations is also expected soon.

“This agreement of the civil aviation authorities will further facilitate people-to-people contact between India and China, contributing towards the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges,” the statement said.

Before the pandemic, air travel between India and China was far more seamless, with close to 500 direct flights operating between the two nations, including services by Indian carriers like Air India and IndiGo. That connectivity came to an abrupt halt after the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, which sharply deteriorated bilateral relations.

Since then, most routes between the two countries involve layovers through Southeast Asian hubs such as Hong Kong or Thailand.

At present, flight booking platforms like MakeMyTrip show no direct services from major Indian cities such as Delhi or Mumbai to Chinese destinations like Beijing or Shanghai. Available options typically involve one or two stopovers, with fares starting at around ₹14,000.

Following the announcement, one of India’s largest airline operators IndiGo announced direct flights will resume from October 26, 2025, from Kolkata to Chinese manufacturing hub Guangzhou.

“We’re delighted to announce the resumption of our flights to China, with direct flights to Guangzhou from Kolkata starting 26th October 2025 further strengthening our commitment to making air travel more accessible for our customers. We are thankful to the Ministry of Civil Aviation for their continued guidance and support,” IndiGo said in a statement.

Other carriers, including Air India and Akasa Air, have yet to confirm whether they will also restart flights after Diwali.