IndiGo resumes direct flights to China after five years with new Kolkata–Guangzhou route

New Delhi: Low-cost carrier IndiGo on Thursday announced the resumption of its flight services to China, restoring direct air connectivity between the two countries after more than five years.

The airline will operate daily non-stop flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou starting October 26, using its Airbus A320neo aircraft. Subject to regulatory approvals, IndiGo also plans to launch direct services between Delhi and Guangzhou in the coming months.

IndiGo said the restart of services would not only boost tourism but also reopen avenues for cross-border trade and business partnerships.

“IndiGo has earlier operated flights to China and already has several arrangements in place. The past experience and familiarity with local partners will help us resume these flights smoothly,” the airline said in a statement.

The announcement follows confirmation by the Ministry of External Affairs that India and China would restart direct passenger flights between designated cities this month. No such flights have operated since 2020, despite China remaining India’s largest bilateral trade partner.

The move comes in the wake of recent diplomatic engagements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China last month for the first time in seven years to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where he and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed trade ties and agreed that India and China should act as “development partners, not rivals.”

While the leaders underlined the importance of peace and stability along the disputed border, Modi also raised concerns over India’s widening trade deficit with China, which currently stands at nearly $99.2 billion.

Aviation and trade experts said the resumption of flights would improve business connectivity, support tourism and cultural exchanges, and signal a cautious easing of tensions between New Delhi and Beijing.

IANS