India And China Set To Resume Direct Flights After Four-Year Freeze: What It Means For Travellers

For years, business travellers, students, and families shuttling between India and China have had to crisscross Asia, hopping through hubs in Bangkok, Singapore, or Hong Kong just to cover a journey that once took a few hours nonstop. That detour may soon end. Both countries are in an “advanced stage” of talks to restore direct flights, a move likely to be announced around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tianjin later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.The restart of flights would mark a symbolic thaw in ties between Asia’s two largest economies, whose relations were jolted by the twin shocks of the pandemic and a bruising military standoff in eastern Ladakh.Why Flights StoppedDirect air services between India and China came to a halt in early 2020, when COVID-19 grounded international travel. But the health crisis was soon followed by a sharper rupture. In June that year, clashes in Galwan Valley killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops, plunging ties into a chill. India responded by banning dozens of Chinese apps and curbing some economic engagements, while direct passenger flights never made a comeback.Before the suspension, carriers including Air India, IndiGo, Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern together operated more than a dozen weekly flights. The routes linked New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata with Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Kunming, forming a busy corridor for students, tourists, traders, and executives.The absence of these services has been keenly felt. Students returning to Chinese universities after pandemic restrictions were lifted last year found themselves stranded with costly multi-stop itineraries. Businesses, too, have complained of disrupted connectivity at a time when supply chains and investment flows are being recalibrated globally.A Window Of OpportunitySigns of re-engagement emerged earlier this year. In January, the two sides agreed in principle to resume direct air services as part of a set of “people-centric” measures to stabilise ties. India also resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals last month, another step toward normalising exchanges.Prime Minister Modi’s expected participation in the SCO Summit in Tianjin on August 31–September 1 adds urgency to the process. Reports indicate that an announcement could be timed with the visit, which will be Modi’s first trip to China in seven years. A bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping on the sidelines has not been ruled out.Airlines have already begun making preparations. IndiGo, which once ran daily flights between Delhi and Chengdu and between Kolkata and Guangzhou, has indicated readiness to return to the Chinese market as soon as governments finalise the framework. "The airline stands ready to resume these services as soon as bilateral arrangements between the two countries allow," IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers said in a statement on August 13. He also said that guided by its entrepreneurial spirit, the airline remains committed to identifying and pursuing commercially viable opportunities.Air India also operated a direct Delhi–Shanghai service until early 2020.What To Expect NextWhile an immediate full-scale restoration of pre-2020 schedules appears unlikely, even a limited resumption of flights would significantly ease travel. Routes such as Delhi–Beijing and Delhi–Shanghai are considered priorities, followed by connections to commercial hubs like Guangzhou and Chengdu.The revival also carries diplomatic undertones. India’s move comes amid strains with Washington, following US President Donald Trump’s recent decision to impose steep tariffs on Indian exports. Reopening connectivity with China could be read as a balancing gesture, underlining New Delhi’s preference for diversifying strategic and economic options.Beyond flights, the two countries have also moved to revive broader cultural and people-to-people exchanges. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra—a pilgrimage that attracts thousands of Indian travellers to Tibet each year—has already resumed. Alongside, both sides are looking to expand academic, media, and think-tank linkages as part of efforts to stabilise ties.For travellers, the practical benefits will be immediate—cheaper fares, shorter travel times, and easier access for students and professionals. For airlines, the corridor offers a commercially attractive market as cross-border demand rebounds.(With inputs from PTI)FAQsQ1: Why were India–China direct flights suspended?Flights were halted in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by border tensions in Galwan Valley, after which services were never resumed.Q2: Which airlines used to operate India–China flights?Before suspension, carriers like Air India, IndiGo, Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern operated routes between Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chinese cities.Q3: When will India–China flights resume?An official announcement is expected around the SCO Summit in Tianjin (August 31–September 1, 2025), coinciding with Prime Minister Modi’s visit.Q4: What routes are likely to restart first?Priority routes include Delhi–Beijing and Delhi–Shanghai, followed by connections to Guangzhou, Chengdu, and other commercial hubs.Q5: How will travellers benefit from the resumption?Direct flights will reduce travel time, lower fares, and make it easier for students, business travellers, and families to connect between the two countries.Off the Beaten Track: Unique Experiences To Have On Your China Tour