India China Resume Direct Flights Connecting Kolkata Guangzhou After Five Years

India and China have agreed to resume direct flights between their countries for the first time in over five years, marking a significant step toward restoring diplomatic and economic ties strained by the 2020 border clash and the COVID-19 pandemic. The new air services agreement allows designated carriers to operate direct flights, with India’s largest budget airline, IndiGo, set to begin daily flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou starting October 26, 2025. This move follows diplomatic engagements in 2024, including meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping and India's resumption of tourist visas for Chinese citizens. The restoration of direct flights is expected to reduce travel time, enhance trade, tourism, and people-to-people connectivity, and symbolize a broader thaw in bilateral relations. Despite the formal agreement, the full resumption depends on operational factors such as airline readiness, regulatory approvals, and slot allocations. The restart of flights also aligns with India's broader strategy of balancing its international relations amid global trade uncertainties.