Archive · 1 Sep 2025
Chinese Airlines Seek to Restart Flights to India
India and China are working to bring back direct flights after a pause.
Flights stopped in early 2020.
Three Chinese airlines have applied for permission to fly directly to India again, including cargo flights.
Indian airlines are also getting ready to start flights.
This should make it easier for people to travel, and help businesses and trade between the two countries.
Before the break, planes flew to places like Shanghai and Mumbai.
If these direct flights start up again, there might be almost three times more people traveling between the countries.
Three Chinese airlines have applied for authorization to resume direct flights.
Direct flights were suspended in early 2020 due to the pandemic and strained relations.
Airport slots will be allocated under a special arrangement, capped at 2019 levels.
Resumption of flights expected to boost bilateral trade, tourism, and business travel.
Current passenger traffic via one-stop connections is approximately 1 million annually.
- Who
- Chinese and Indian airlines
- What
- Seeking to resume direct flights
- When
- Expected to resume soon
- Where
- Between India and China
- Why
- To boost trade, tourism, and business travel
- Airlines Seeking Authorization
- Three Chinese Airlines (including a cargo operator)
- Flight Suspension Start
- Early 2020
- Destinations (Pre-2020)
- Shanghai, Guangzhou, New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata
- Estimated Passenger Traffic (via One-Stop)
- 1 million annually
- Potential Passenger Traffic (Direct Flights)
- Nearly 3 million