India-China Flight Resumes: Over 170 Passengers on First Day as Kolkata-Guangzhou Route Reopens
After a five-year hiatus, direct air connectivity between India and China has finally resumed. On October 26, IndiGo launched its maiden non-stop flight from Kolkata to Guangzhou, marking a significant milestone in bilateral relations and post-pandemic recovery. The flight departed from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Sunday night, carrying 176 passengers onboard.
This long-awaited development comes after years of diplomatic and logistical delays. The air route had been suspended in early 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by heightened tensions between the two nations, including the Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops. Since then, all direct flights between the two countries were halted.
The newly launched service by IndiGo will operate daily using Airbus A320neo aircraft, aiming to boost tourism, trade, and people-to-people exchanges between the two Asian giants. Officials at the Kolkata airport confirmed that the first flight took off at 10:07 PM and is scheduled to arrive in Guangzhou at 4:05 AM local time.
Further expansion of India-China air routes is expected soon. China Eastern Airlines is set to resume its Delhi–Shanghai service from November 9, while IndiGo will restart its Delhi–Guangzhou flights from November 10. Air India is also preparing to re-enter the China sector by the end of the year.
The resumption of flights is seen as a positive step toward normalizing relations and enhancing strategic cooperation. It also opens up new opportunities for business travelers, students, and tourists who had been relying on indirect routes for the past several years.
This revival of direct connectivity is not just a logistical achievement but also a diplomatic signal that both countries are willing to engage constructively despite past tensions.
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