Archive · 30 Sep 2026
India Seeks Xinjiang Air Corridor Amid Pakistan Ban
India wants to find a new way for its airplanes to fly west.
Pakistan has not allowed Indian aircraft to use its airspace since April 2025.
Because of this, Indian airlines must take longer routes around Pakistan.
Longer flights use more fuel, take more time, and cost more money.
India is talking with China about possibly flying through Xinjiang.
One possible path could pass near Hotan in southwestern Xinjiang.
China has not approved the route yet.
Air India, IndiGo, and other carriers have experienced higher costs or disrupted services.
India and China are discussing a possible Hotan route through Xinjiang for westbound Indian flights.
No final route or Chinese clearance has been agreed, though India’s External Affairs Ministry is engaging Beijing.
Pakistan’s airspace restrictions on Indian aircraft began on April 23, 2025, after the Pahalgam attack and subsequent tensions.
The ban has forced longer routes, adding up to three hours to some flights and increasing fuel costs by as much as 29%.
Air India estimates the restriction could cost about $600 million annually, while roughly 800 weekly Indian flights have been affected.
- Who
- The Government of India, Indian airlines, China, and Pakistan are involved; Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu said discussions on the Hotan route are continuing.
- What
- India is exploring a possible air corridor through China’s Xinjiang region, potentially including Hotan, to reduce the effects of Pakistan’s airspace restrictions.
- When
- Discussions have been underway for about a year; Pakistan’s restriction began on April 23, 2025, and its latest formal extension runs until October 24, 2026.
- Where
- The proposed corridor could pass through Chinese airspace near Hotan in southwestern Xinjiang before connecting with routes toward Europe, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
- Why
- Pakistan’s restrictions have forced longer westbound routes, increasing flight times, fuel consumption, crew hours, and operating costs.
India and Airline Alternatives
Pakistan’s Airspace Restriction
Need for an alternative route
India and Airline Alternatives
India is pursuing the Hotan option and other alternatives to reduce longer flight times, fuel use, and operating costs for Indian carriers.
Pakistan’s Airspace Restriction
Pakistan has maintained restrictions on Indian aircraft through repeated aviation notices, with the latest extension running until October 24, 2026.
Readiness of the Xinjiang corridor
India and Airline Alternatives
Indian officials say discussions with China are continuing and that the route could help westbound flights avoid Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Airspace Restriction
No final route or Chinese clearance has been agreed, so the proposed corridor is not yet an operating solution.
- Proposed corridor
- Chinese airspace through Xinjiang, potentially near Hotan
- Negotiation status
- India-China discussions are continuing; no final route or clearance has been agreed
- Pakistan restriction began
- April 23, 2025
- Latest Pakistani extension
- Until October 24, 2026
- Air India estimated annual cost
- About $600 million if the restriction continues
- Flight-time impact
- Up to three hours on some long-haul routes; another report cites 45 minutes to two hours for certain detours
- Affected flights
- Around 800 weekly flights operated by Indian airlines
