Travellers between India and China may soon find their journeys much easier. After four years of suspension, the two countries are in the final stages of talks to restore direct flights. The announcement is expected to coincide with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tianjin later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit.
The restart of flights would carry both symbolic and practical significance. Relations between India and China have been strained since the twin shocks of the pandemic and the border clashes in Ladakh in 2020. Direct flights were first halted due to COVID restrictions, but even as other countries reopened, services never returned. Before the suspension, airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, Air China, China Eastern, and China Southern operated multiple weekly flights linking Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata with Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu.
The absence of these routes has been deeply felt. Students heading back to Chinese universities after the pandemic often struggled with expensive multi stop itineraries, while business travellers faced delays and higher costs. Families, too, found it increasingly difficult to stay connected. The return of direct flights would ease these burdens, shorten travel times, and make trips more affordable.
Signs of a thaw in ties have emerged this year. India resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals, and both governments agreed in principle to prioritise people centric measures. Airlines have also indicated their readiness to relaunch services. IndiGo, which previously ran popular routes between Delhi and Chengdu as well as Kolkata and Guangzhou, has stated it is prepared to resume flights as soon as approvals are finalised. Air India has also expressed its intent to return to the Chinese market, with Delhi to Shanghai expected to be among the first routes revived.
The restoration of connectivity will also serve as a broader signal of engagement. India’s participation in the SCO Summit will be Modi’s first trip to China in seven years, and an announcement on flights would underline the importance of rebuilding channels of exchange. For travellers, the benefits are clear. Students will regain easier access to universities, professionals will find smoother business travel, and families separated for years will reconnect more easily.
Although a full return to pre 2020 schedules may take time, even a limited restart will mark a crucial step toward normalising ties and restoring confidence. For the travel and airline industry, it also opens up a lucrative market as demand for cross border movement rebounds.
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