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The first direct flight between India and China in more than five years took off from Kolkata on Sunday night, amid a thaw in relations between the two Asian giants. IndiGo flight 1703 departed from Kolkata at 9:53 p.m. local time for Guangzhou, southern China, completing the journey in about three and a half hours. The airline is also set to begin a New Delhi-Guangzhou service from 10 November, while China Eastern Airlines will launch direct flights between Shanghai and Delhi from 9 November. Kolkata, West Bengal: The first commercial flight from India to China in five years takes off (Video source: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport) pic.twitter.com/9YcU0xM4Rc— IANS (@ians_india) October 26, 2025 " rel="nofollow">http://Kolkata, West Bengal: The first commercial flight from India to China in five years takes off (Video source: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport) pic.twitter.com/9YcU0xM4Rc— IANS (@ians_india) October 26, 2025 India-China diplomatic ties The resumption of direct connectivity follows a gradual improvement in diplomatic ties between India and China, which had cooled since the border clashes of 2020. Passenger flights between the two countries had been suspended during the Covid-19 pandemic and never resumed amid heightened tensions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi first announced the plan to restart services when he met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in August, during his first visit to China in seven years. Airlines expand routes Meanwhile, the reopening of air links comes as both nations navigate shifting global economic dynamics and the Trump tariff impact. Improved connectivity is expected to bolster business, tourism, and cultural exchanges between the world’s two most populous countries. Reportedly, Air India is also preparing to launch flights between New Delhi and Shanghai, though no date has yet been announced. With IndiGo’s Kolkata-Guangzhou route now operational, travellers from both sides will no longer need to transit through hubs such as Hong Kong or Singapore.
