Three Chinese carriers, including a cargo operator, have approached India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), seeking operational authorisation to restart direct flights to the country.
The move marks the first concrete step by Chinese airlines to re-enter the Indian market after a suspension of services that has lasted nearly five years. Industry sources confirmed that securing DGCA approval is a prerequisite before applying for airport slots at major Indian gateways such as New Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), and Kolkata (CCU). Once clearances are issued, formal slot allocation is expected to follow.
In parallel, Indian carriers are also preparing to relaunch direct operations to Beijing (PEK), Shanghai (PVG), and Guangzhou (CAN). To expedite the process, both governments have agreed to a special arrangement capping flights at 2019 levels, avoiding the need to renegotiate the bilateral air services agreement. A high-level Indian delegation visited China last week to address pending regulatory hurdles, according to a BusinessLine report.
Direct flights between the two countries were halted in early 2020 with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, even as air links with Hong Kong (HKG) resumed. Prior to the suspension, carriers operated multiple services connecting key hubs in China and India. The situation was further complicated by the Galwan Valley clashes in Ladakh later that year, freezing the possibility of an early resumption.
The recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin, where the two leaders agreed to restart direct air connectivity, signalled a thaw in bilateral ties. India’s embassy in Beijing has also resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals after five years, reinforcing efforts to restore people-to-people exchanges.
Aviation experts believe the resumption of flights will deliver a boost to bilateral trade, tourism, and student mobility—sectors that bore the brunt of the prolonged suspension.
“India–China routes were consistently profitable before the halt, with load factors of up to 90%,” said Mark Matin of Martin Consulting. “Direct services will not only meet pent-up demand but also prevent revenue leakage to third-country hubs.”
Currently, an estimated one million passengers travel annually between India and China, mostly via one-stop connections through hubs such as Singapore (SIN), Bangkok (BKK), and Dubai (DXB). Analysts project this figure could rise to nearly three million once nonstop services resume, supported by strong demand from students, business travellers, and leisure tourists.
Mike Zhou of Wernosa Consulting in Shanghai added that Chinese carriers are especially eager to tap into this demand, noting that direct connectivity would give a fillip to sectors like e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing.
