Direct passenger flights between China and India are set to resume after a gap of five years, as China Eastern Airlines announced the relaunch of its Shanghai-Delhi route starting November 9.
The move marks a step forward in efforts by both countries to normalise ties and improve connectivity following years of diplomatic and transport disruptions.
According to details available on the airline’s website, the service will operate three times a week — on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The resumption of flights comes after India’s foreign ministry confirmed earlier this month that commercial air services between the two countries would restart, signalling a thaw in relations that had cooled since 2020.
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Direct flights between India and China were suspended five years ago, following tensions that escalated after clashes between troops along the Himalayan border. Since then, air links have remained frozen, affecting travel, trade, and people-to-people exchanges.
The decision to restart services follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to China, his first in over seven years, where he attended a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
During his meetings, discussions were held on improving bilateral trade and connectivity, with India raising concerns over the widening trade deficit between the two nations.
In addition to China Eastern’s resumption of services, Indian carrier IndiGo has also announced plans to operate daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou.
The development has been welcomed by aviation authorities in China, with Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport indicating that it will support more direct routes connecting the two countries, including potential links between Guangzhou and Delhi.
The resumption of direct flights is expected to gradually restore travel and business activity between India and China, which have been limited to connecting routes through third countries since the suspension of services in 2020.
