Saturday, March 29, 2025
India-China Flights Resume After 5 Years — First IndiGo Service Takes Off from Kolkata; Delhi-Shanghai Flights from November 9
Date: October 27, 2025
After a suspension lasting five years, direct air connectivity between India and China has officially resumed, marking a major step toward restoring bilateral trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchange.
The inaugural flight — IndiGo 6E1703 — departed from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata, at 10:07 PM, bound for Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in China.
The flight is scheduled to land at 4:05 AM, marking the first non-stop passenger service between the two countries since 2020.
IndiGo will now operate daily non-stop flights on the Kolkata–Guangzhou route, reconnecting eastern India with one of China’s major commercial hubs.
Following the success of the Kolkata–Guangzhou restart, additional routes will soon resume operations:
Delhi–Shanghai flights are set to begin on November 9.
Delhi–Guangzhou flights will start from November 10, expanding connectivity options for both business and leisure travelers.
The resumption of these routes is part of a broader initiative to revive post-pandemic travel and economic exchange between the two Asian giants. Aviation officials from both sides expressed optimism that the return of direct flights will boost trade, tourism, and cultural engagement — areas that had slowed due to the prolonged suspension of services.
