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Air China Resumes Beijing-Delhi Flights, Boosting India-China Ties

Air China has resumed direct flight services between Beijing and Delhi, a move hailed by the Chinese Embassy as significant for bilateral ties beyond mere travel. The resumption follows the official restart of India-China flights in October 2024 after a suspension lasting over four years due to the pandemic and border tensions. This development is viewed as a green light for enhanced cooperation in trade, tourism, and within multilateral forums like the SCO and BRICS. Indian carrier IndiGo also plans to restart services, with specific routes like Kolkata-Guangzhou already operational.

Key Points: Air China Resumes Direct Beijing-Delhi Flights

  • Direct flights resumed after over 4 years
  • Seen as key step to ease bilateral tensions
  • Boosts trade, tourism, and people-to-people ties
  • Part of broader SCO and BRICS cooperation
2 min read

"More than just travel": Chinese embassy as Air China resumes direct flights between Beijing and Delhi

Air China resumes direct Beijing-Delhi flights, signaling a boost for trade, tourism, and bilateral cooperation between India and China.

"Air China resuming direct flights between Beijing & Delhi = more than just travel! It's Trade, Tourism, Trust - Yu Jing"

New Delhi, March 21

The Chinese Embassy in India on Saturday stated that Air China has resumed direct flight services between Beijing and Delhi, describing the development as a significant step beyond connectivity between the two nations.

Reacting to the development, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Yu Jing, in a post on X, said the move signals broader cooperation between the two countries, impacting trade, tourism and bilateral and multilateral ties.

"Air China resuming direct flights between Beijing & Delhi = more than just travel! It's Trade, Tourism, Trust -- and a BIG green light for SCO & BRICS people-to-people cooperation!" the post read.

Last year in October, direct flights between India and China were officially resumed after more than four years, marking a major step forward in restoring normal ties between the two neighbours as flights between the two countries were suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic and the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, one of the deadliest border confrontations in decades.

Since then, diplomatic and economic relations between New Delhi and Beijing were tense. However, in October 2024, both sides reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), seen as a key step in easing tensions. The resumption of direct flights was also confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) earlier in October 2025.

The first flight took off from Kolkata to Guangzhou on October 26, 2025, while the Shanghai-New Delhi route began operations on November 9, with three flights every week.

Indian carrier IndiGo had announced that it would be among the first airlines to restart services between the two countries following the COVID-19 suspension.

In its October 2 press release, the airline said it would start daily, nonstop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou from October 26, 2025, using Airbus A320neo aircraft.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Finally! My cousin is studying in Beijing and the indirect flights via a third country were so expensive and tiring. This will help so many students and families. Hope the ticket prices are reasonable. 🤞
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Rohit P
Good for business. Many of our electronic components come from there. Easier travel means smoother supply chains and potentially lower costs. But we must also focus on building our own manufacturing capacity. Atmanirbhar Bharat is the long-term goal.
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Sarah B
As someone who travels frequently for work, this is very welcome news. The connectivity is crucial for multinational operations. However, the article rightly points out the context—this is more than just logistics, it's a diplomatic signal. Cautiously optimistic.
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Vikram M
People-to-people contact is always good. Maybe more Chinese tourists will come to see our incredible history and culture. And our tourists can explore theirs. But the government must ensure strong security protocols are in place. Jai Hind.
K
Karthik V
I appreciate the step towards normalcy, but the Chinese embassy's messaging feels a bit too celebratory. The "BIG green light" language ignores the very serious issues that led to the suspension in the first place. Our MEA's measured confirmation was more appropriate.
M
Michael C

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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