IndiGo announced on Thursday that it will begin daily non-stop flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou starting October 26, 2025, with a Delhi route to follow pending regulatory clearance. The carrier will operate double daily services connecting both Delhi and Kolkata to Guangzhou.
IndiGo's move comes in the wake of an announcement by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday that India and China will restart direct passenger flights by the end of October 2025.
Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer of IndiGo, said, "With this very important step, we are looking at introducing more direct flights into China. As we take steady strides towards becoming a global aviation player, this is a significant move to strengthen our international network."
Indigo announced that it will deploy Airbus A320neo aircraft on these routes. And bookings for the Kolkata-Guangzhou route will open October 3, 2025, through IndiGo's official website and mobile application.
Air India also likely to resume direct flights to China
Meanwhile, ANI quoted sources as saying that Air India is also likely to resume flight services to China by the end of the year.
The announcement follows Thursday's announcement by the Ministry of External Affairs that India and China would restart direct passenger flights by late October 2025, part of broader efforts to gradually normalize relations between the neighboring countries after years of disruption.
According to the MEA, civil aviation authorities from both nations have conducted technical-level discussions throughout this year on resuming air services and updating the Air Services Agreement. The ministry confirmed that direct air services connecting designated points in India and China can resume by late October 2025, aligning with the winter schedule, subject to commercial decisions of designated carriers and fulfilment of operational criteria.
Direct passenger flights between India and China were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, compelling travelers to route through transit hubs like Hong Kong, Bangkok, or Singapore.
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