Direct flights to China to start from October 26, IndiGo finalises Kolkata-Guangzhou service
IndiGo will use its Airbus A320Neo aircraft to operate these flights.
Passenger flights between India and China will resume from October 26 with IndiGo launching daily flights from Delhi and Kolkata to Guangzhou.
While the service from Kolkata will begin on October 26, the schedule for Delhi-Guangzhou flight is yet to be announced. IndiGo will use its Airbus A320Neo aircraft to operate these flights.
Among the Chinese carriers, China Eastern is likely to be the first to start flights with a daily service between Shanghai and Delhi. The airline has received an operating authorisation from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation but has not announced a schedule.
Air India and other Chinese airlines too are preparing to restore direct connectivity which had been suspended since February 2020.
Revised agreement
The restoration of flights follows gradual normalisation of ties between the two countries. Civil aviation authorities of both the countries held discussions on resuming direct flights and on revised air service agreement.
In a statement Ministry of External Affairs said following these discussions it has been agreed that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October 2025. The resumption of flights will be subject to commercial decision of designated airlines and fulfilment of all operational criteria.
“We are proud to be amongst the first to resume direct connectivity to China from two points in India. This will once again allow seamless movement of people, goods and ideas, while also strengthening bilateral ties between the two of the world’s most populous countries and fast-growing economies,” IndiGo’s CEO Pieter Elbers said in a statement.
More flights
He added that the airline is looking at introducing more direct flights into China.
Over half a million passengers flew between India and China (two way) in fiscal 2025 and the number is set to grow with the planned resumption of flights.
In the absence of non-stop flights, passengers between India and China are transiting via Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and other cities.
Hong Kong and Singapore are the largest transit hubs for travel between India and China with each having a market share of around 30 per cent in FY 2025.
Published on October 2, 2025
