India and China Reach Accord to Reinstate Direct Air Services

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has confirmed that India and China have agreed to resume direct air services, with flights expected to restart by late October 2025. The agreement was reached after discussions between the civil aviation authorities of both countries, which addressed the resumption of direct air services and a revised Air Services Agreement. This initiative aligns with the governments’ efforts to gradually normalize relations between the two nations. The MEA emphasized that the resumption of flights will facilitate increased people-to-people contact and contribute to the normalization of bilateral exchanges. The timeframe is set to coincide with the winter season schedule, pending commercial decisions from the designated carriers and the fulfilment of all required operational criteria. IndiGo Airlines has announced the resumption of its services to Mainland China, connecting Kolkata to Guangzhou, with daily, non-stop flights starting 26 October 2025. Additional routes, pending regulatory approvals, between Delhi and Guangzhou are also planned.