What’s behind India-China flight resumption after freeze?
India and China will resume direct flights this month after a five-year hiatus, signalling a cautious thaw in relations strained since the deadly 2020 clashes in the Galwan Valley.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed Thursday, October 2, that civil aviation authorities on both sides had finalised arrangements for flights to restart with the winter schedule, beginning October 26, 2025. IndiGo will operate the first service, linking Kolkata with the Chinese trading hub of Guangzhou, with Air India expected to launch flights to Shanghai later in the year.
Direct air links were suspended in March 2020 when India halted international travel during the COVID-19 pandemic. While most routes reopened by 2022, flights to China remained suspended amid military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The freeze forced businesses and travellers to rely on indirect routes via Hong Kong, Singapore, or Bangkok, adding both costs and travel time.
The resumption follows recent confidence-building measures, including troop disengagement at key flashpoints on the LAC in late 2024, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to China in seven years for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in August 2025.
During talks, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping called for both nations to act as “development partners” rather than rivals, despite unresolved tariff and border disputes.
The reopening of flights reflects broader efforts to stabilise ties between Asia’s two largest economies, whose combined population exceeds 2.8 billion. It also has global trade implications, given China’s role as India’s second-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade valued at over $136 billion in 2023, according to India’s Commerce Ministry.
The move also comes as India seeks to revive inbound tourism, which stood at 9.5 million arrivals in 2024, which is below the pre-pandemic peak of 11.5 million. “China is one of the world’s largest outbound markets. Restoring connectivity is vital for both trade and tourism,” said Subhash Goyal, founder-chairman of STIC Travel Group.
Airlines from both sides, including Air China and China Eastern, are expected to apply for additional routes in the coming months, though approvals remain pending.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
