NEW DELHI / BEIJING — India and China resumed direct flights on Sunday after a five-year suspension, marking a symbolic milestone as the two Asian powers cautiously rebuild their strained relationship.
First Direct Flight in Five Years
IndiGo flight 6E1703 from Kolkata landed in Guangzhou shortly before 4:00 a.m. (2000 GMT), officially restoring nonstop air travel between the neighboring nations.
The flights had been suspended since 2020, first due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later because of geopolitical tensions following a deadly border clash in the Himalayas.
India’s government said the resumption would strengthen “people-to-people contact” and support the “gradual normalization of bilateral exchanges.”
A Step Toward Normalization
The two nations — the world’s most populous countries — remain strategic rivals competing for economic and regional influence.
However, tensions have eased gradually following high-level diplomatic engagements over the past two years.
“The direct air link will reduce logistics and transit time,” said Rajeev Singh, head of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata, adding that it would be a major boost for trade and business travel.
India and China are expected to launch additional flights from New Delhi to Shanghai and Guangzhou starting in November, further expanding connectivity.
Trade and Economic Context
India continues to run a large trade deficit with China, relying heavily on Chinese raw materials for its industrial growth.
According to India’s Commerce Ministry, imports from China surged to over $11 billion in September 2025, a 16% increase from a year earlier.
Exports to China reached $1.47 billion, marking a 34% year-on-year growth, though still significantly lower in volume.
“Air connectivity will boost trade, tourism, and business travel,” said Chen Khoi Kui, a civil society leader in Kolkata’s Tangra Chinatown.
“It’s great news for people like us, who have relatives in China.”
Kolkata’s historic ties with China date back to British colonial times, when Chinese traders and artisans settled in the city. Today, Indo-Chinese fusion cuisine remains a beloved part of Kolkata’s culinary culture.
Shifting Global Dynamics
The flight resumption also comes amid a cooling relationship between New Delhi and Washington.
After U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, tensions rose between the two countries. Trump’s aides have accused India of “funding Russia’s war in Ukraine” through discounted oil purchases from Moscow.
The Indian Express wrote in a recent editorial that improving ties with Beijing “sends an appropriate signal to Washington.”
From Conflict to Cautious Cooperation
Relations between India and China plummeted in 2020 following a violent border clash in the Galwan Valley, which killed 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops.
In response, New Delhi tightened restrictions on Chinese investments and banned hundreds of apps, including TikTok, while deepening ties with the U.S.-led Quad alliance — which includes Japan and Australia — aimed at countering China’s growing influence.
But recent gestures hint at tentative goodwill. During Diwali, soldiers from both sides exchanged sweets along their 3,500-kilometer (2,175-mile) contested border — a symbolic move hailed as a “gesture of peace.”
“Managing an increasingly assertive China remains India’s long-term challenge,” wrote The Indian Express.
“These fundamental realities remain unchanged, regardless of Trump’s whimsical diplomatic actions.”
Looking Ahead
Diplomats from both nations say the flight resumption could pave the way for further cooperation in trade, tourism, and technology.
While deep mistrust remains, the reopening of direct air routes serves as both a practical step for economic recovery and a symbolic gesture toward regional stability.
“Flights may not fix everything,” said one Indian official, “but they open the door — literally and diplomatically.”
