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New Delhi-Shanghai Flights Resume: Direct Route Restored After 5-Year Hiatus

After five long years, direct flights between India and China have finally resumed. The Consul General of India in Shanghai personally welcomed the first batch of passengers arriving from New Delhi. This restoration marks a significant step in rebuilding travel and trade connections between the two Asian neighbors. The renewed air connectivity comes amid improved diplomatic engagement and confidence-building measures between the countries.

Key Points: India China Direct Flights Resume After Five Year Suspension

  • Consul General Pratik Mathur personally welcomed first passengers arriving from Delhi
  • China Eastern Airlines operating Shanghai-Delhi route three times weekly
  • Flight suspension lasted since 2020 due to pandemic and border tensions
  • IndiGo resumed Kolkata-Guangzhou flights in October as first carrier
  • New routes aim to rebuild trade and tourism ties between nations
  • Airbus A330-200 aircraft deployed for the revived international route
2 min read

Indian consulate welcomes first set of passengers as New Delhi-Shanghai direct route resumes after five years

Direct flights between New Delhi and Shanghai resume after 5-year suspension, restoring crucial travel and trade links between India and China with weekly services.

"Fair Winds & Clear skies! India emerges as a Global Hub as people-to-people ties grow stronger. - India in Shanghai X post"

Shanghai, November 10

Consul General of India in Shanghai, Pratik Mathur, on Monday welcomed the first batch of passengers arriving from New Delhi as direct commercial flights between India and China officially resumed after five years.

India in Shanghai wrote in an X post, "Fair Winds & Clear skies! India emerges as a Global Hub as people-to-people ties grow stronger. CG @PratikMathur1 was at hand to receive the first set of passengers as direct flights resumed between New Delhi and Shanghai."

The move marks a significant step in restoring normal travel and trade links between the two Asian neighbours, whose flight operations had been suspended since early 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic and the Galwan Valley clash.

The resumption began in phases last month. Indian carrier IndiGo restarted daily flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou on October 26, becoming the first airline to relaunch services after the long suspension.

Following that, China Eastern Airlines resumed its Shanghai-New Delhi route on November 9, completing the restoration of direct connectivity between the two countries.

According to China Eastern Airlines, the Shanghai-Delhi service will operate three times a week, every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday, using Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft.

Flight MU563 will depart from Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 12:50 pm and arrive in Delhi at 5:45 pm local time, while the return flight MU564 will leave Delhi at 7:55 pm and reach Shanghai at 4:10 am the next day.

The airline said the restored route would "boost people-to-people exchanges and strengthen economic and trade cooperation between India and China."

Earlier, IndiGo had announced plans to expand its China operations further by adding direct daily flights between Delhi and Guangzhou from November 10.

These routes, it said, are aimed at "rebuilding trade and tourism ties" disrupted over the past five years.

Flights between India and China had remained suspended since 2020 due to the pandemic and subsequent diplomatic tensions.

However, the two governments have recently shown renewed engagement following confidence-building measures and discussions on easing border frictions.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
While I welcome improved connectivity, I hope our government ensures proper security measures are in place. The border situation needs to be completely resolved before we normalize everything. National security should remain our top priority.
A
Ananya R
Excellent development! This will boost tourism and business exchanges. Many Indian students study in Chinese universities - direct flights will make their travel much easier. Hope the fares are reasonable! ✈️
D
David E
As someone working in international trade, this is a much-needed step. The supply chain disruptions affected many businesses. Hope this leads to more economic cooperation while maintaining our strategic interests.
S
Siddharth J
Good to see diplomacy working! People-to-people connections are important, but let's not forget our brave soldiers who sacrificed everything. Progress should be balanced with protecting our territorial integrity. Jai Hind!
K
Kavya N
Finally! My parents have been wanting to visit Shanghai for years. The timing is perfect as we were planning a family trip. Hope more such routes open up between major cities of both countries. 🙏

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