After a hiatus of over five years, India and China are set to restore direct air connectivity, with IndiGo announcing a daily direct flight between Delhi and Guangzhou starting November 10, 2025. This follows the airline’s launch of Kolkata–Guangzhou flights from October 26.
The resumption marks a significant step in normalising travel links between the two countries, which were halted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to the pause, in 2019, India and China had 539 direct flights operated by airlines such as Air India, IndiGo, China Southern, and China Eastern. Since then, travelers had to transit through third countries to reach their destinations.
Air India is also expected to start flights to China before the year ends, while several Chinese carriers will resume operations to India. The Civil Aviation Ministry confirmed that the move comes after continuous technical-level engagements between Indian and Chinese aviation authorities, aiming to normalise bilateral ties and enhance economic and tourism exchanges.
The reinstated flights are expected to boost tourism, trade, and business travel between the two nations, offering convenient, time-saving connectivity for passengers. IndiGo’s initiative positions it as a pioneer among Indian carriers in resuming direct services to China, reflecting the growing demand for international travel in the post-pandemic era.