NEW DELHI– Low-cost carrier IndiGo will resume direct flight services to China later this month, restoring air connectivity between the two nations for the first time in more than five years.
Beginning October 26, the airline will operate daily non-stop flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou using its Airbus A320neo aircraft. Subject to regulatory clearance, IndiGo also plans to launch direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou in the coming months.
The airline said the move will not only boost tourism but also re-open pathways for trade and cross-border business ties. “IndiGo has earlier operated flights to China and already has several arrangements in place. The past experience and familiarity with local partners will help us resume these flights smoothly,” the airline said in a statement.
The announcement follows confirmation from India’s Ministry of External Affairs that direct flights between designated cities in both countries would restart this month. No direct passenger flights have operated since 2020, despite China remaining India’s largest bilateral trade partner.
The timing also comes on the heels of renewed diplomatic engagement. Prime Minister Narendra Modi traveled to China last month for the first time in seven years to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. During the visit, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed strengthening trade ties and agreed that India and China should act as “development partners, not rivals.”
While both leaders stressed the need for peace and stability along the disputed border, Modi raised concerns about India’s widening trade deficit with China, which currently stands at nearly $99.2 billion.
Aviation and trade experts say the resumption of flights is expected to benefit businesses by improving connectivity and will also encourage cultural and tourism exchanges, signaling a cautious thaw in relations between New Delhi and Beijing. (Source: IANS)
