(Oct 27): The first direct flight between India and China in more than five years took off from Kolkata on Sunday (Oct 26) night, in the latest sign of warming ties between two of the world’s biggest economies.
IndiGo flight 1703 left Kolkata at 9:53pm local time, according to the airline’s website, for the three-and-a-half hour hop to Guangzhou in southern China. The carrier will also start flights between New Delhi and Guangzhou on Nov 10, while China Eastern Airlines Co has announced direct services between Shanghai and Delhi from Nov 9.
Diplomatic ties between the longstanding rivals are on an upswing, as they contend with US President Donald Trump’s tariffs that have added to economic uncertainties in the world’s two most populous nations. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi first announced the resumption of flights when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in August — his first visit to China in seven years.
“Guangzhou, as a major commercial hub, offers immense opportunities for Indian businesses, exporters, and professionals,” said Pieter Elbers, chief executive officer for Interglobe Aviation Ltd, which operates IndiGo.
Reinstating this air link will enhance bilateral ties, support smaller businesses, as well as boost tourism, education and healthcare in both countries, Elbers said in a statement Monday.
Passenger flights between India and China were suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic. The connection never resumed after relations between the two countries hit a low point in 2020 following border clashes, and travellers had to transit through hubs like Hong Kong or Singapore.
India and China had first agreed in January to resume direct flights, before relations cooled again amid India’s limited war with Pakistan. The two countries then announced a takeup of direct connections once more in June, though without any immediate progress. Bloomberg News reported in August, citing people familiar with the matter that direct flights were expected to resume soon.
Air India is also working on a plan to start flights to Shanghai from New Delhi, according to people familiar with the discussions who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The airline hasn’t yet announced a date for the launch of flights.
