New Delhi/Beijing – In a significant step toward restoring normalcy in bilateral ties, India and China will resume direct passenger flights after a gap of five years, with the first service scheduled to take off on October 26. The move marks a cautious but notable shift in relations between the two Asian giants, which had seen air connectivity suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent border tensions.
According to officials, Chinese carrier Sichuan Airlines will operate the first flight between Chengdu and New Delhi, marking the resumption of direct commercial air travel between the two countries. Initially, flights will run twice a week, with more routes and increased frequency expected depending on demand and diplomatic developments.
Air services between India and China were suspended in 2020 following the outbreak of the pandemic and further delayed by deteriorating political ties after the Galwan Valley clash. The absence of direct flights had severely impacted business travel, education exchanges, and tourism, forcing passengers to rely on costly and time-consuming transit routes through third countries.
Civil aviation authorities from both sides confirmed that discussions to restore connectivity had been ongoing for months. The decision comes amid a broader effort to stabilize bilateral ties and revive economic engagement, even as strategic differences remain.
For businesses, the resumption of flights is a welcome development. Trade between India and China has continued despite political tensions, and improved air connectivity is expected to ease travel for entrepreneurs, students, and professionals. Educational institutions are also hopeful that the move will help Indian students enrolled in Chinese universities return more easily after years of disruptions.
Analysts see the restoration of flights as a practical step rather than a political breakthrough, signaling both countries’ willingness to maintain economic links despite unresolved border disputes. “This is a small but important signal of normalization,” said one foreign policy expert.
Indian airlines are also expected to announce their own routes to Chinese cities in the coming weeks, with talks reportedly underway to ensure a balanced increase in services.
The October 26 flight is expected to draw considerable attention, as it symbolizes not just the reopening of airspace but also a cautious easing of diplomatic frost between the two neighbors. For many travelers and businesses, it marks the end of a long and costly gap in connectivity.