India, China to resume direct air services this month: MEA

Direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October, subject to the commercial decision of the designated carriers from the two countries and fulfilment of all operational criteria, the MEA said.

India and China will resume direct flight services later this month, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

The flight services between the two sides were suspended following the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. It was not restored in view of the eastern Ladakh border row.

It has now been agreed that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October, subject to the commercial decision of the designated carriers from the two countries and fulfilment of all operational criteria, the MEA said.

Since earlier this year, the civil aviation authorities of the two countries have been engaged in technical-level discussions on resuming direct air services between the two countries and on a revised air services agreement, it said in a statement.

Published on October 2, 2025