IndiGo to Restart Direct Flights to China, Kolkata and Delhi to Guangzhou, from October 2025

• IndiGo will resume daily flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou from 26 October 2025, with a Delhi service to follow.
• The relaunch restores vital India–China air links suspended during the pandemic, supporting trade, business, and student travel.
• With limited Indian presence on these routes, IndiGo gains a first-mover edge in reviving direct connectivity to China.

IndiGo has announced the resumption of direct air services to Mainland China, with daily non-stop flights from Kolkata (CCU) to Guangzhou (CAN) commencing on 26 October 2025, coinciding with the start of the IATA winter schedule.

The carrier also plans to launch a Delhi (DEL)–Guangzhou (CAN) service, subject to regulatory clearance, reinforcing its ambition to expand global connectivity.

The flights will be operated by Airbus A320neo aircraft, restoring a crucial link that was suspended during the pandemic. IndiGo previously connected Kolkata with Guangzhou and Delhi with Chengdu before 2020, and the resumption signals a revival of aviation and trade corridors between Asia’s two largest populations.

Diplomatic and Policy Backdrop

This development follows a series of recent diplomatic and regulatory moves aimed at easing travel between India and China. India resumed tourist visas for Chinese nationals in July 2025, while China has simplified entry rules, introduced the new K-visa for skilled talent, and extended reductions in visa fees through the end of this year. These measures have set the stage for the return of passenger and business flows.

Mr. Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer, IndiGo, said, “We are delighted to announce the resumption of daily, non-stop flights between India and mainland China. We are proud to be amongst the first to resume direct connectivity to China from two points in India. This will once again allow seamless movement of people, goods, and ideas, while also strengthening bilateral ties between the two of the world’s most populous countries and fast-growing economies. 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.”

Restoring Trade and Business Flows

The timing is strategic. India–China bilateral trade touched nearly US$114 billion in imports and around US$15 billion in exports in FY2024–25. Direct belly-cargo capacity on IndiGo’s A320neos will provide faster transit for high-value commodities such as electronics, machinery, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.

Business travel and student mobility are also expected to rebound, with Chinese universities reopening fully to foreign students and Indian enterprises renewing ties with Chinese suppliers.

Route Dynamics and Competitive Context

The Kolkata–Guangzhou route spans approximately 2,553 km with a block time of about 4–5 hours, while Delhi–Guangzhou, at 3,651 km, is a slightly longer sector, taking around five hours. IndiGo’s choice of the Airbus A320neo makes both routes comfortably viable, given the aircraft’s range and efficiency.

Before the pandemic, connectivity between India and China was modest but growing. IndiGo itself had inaugurated the Delhi–Chengdu route in September 2019 and the Kolkata–Guangzhou route in October 2019, marking its early push into China, making this resumption as much a relaunch as an expansion. 

Air India once maintained services to Shanghai and Hong Kong (via Delhi) and operated Delhi–Shanghai–Osaka flights, although these were suspended even before the COVID-19 pandemic due to commercial challenges. Other Indian carriers never built a large presence in Mainland China, leaving the market mostly to Chinese airlines such as China Eastern and China Southern, which linked Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Kunming to Delhi or Mumbai.

With IndiGo poised to enter the market early, it gains a first-mover advantage in a route space that has been virtually dormant since 2020. The airline’s daily CCU–CAN service—soon to be complemented by the Delhi leg—is set to fill the connectivity vacuum between India and China.

Outlook

As IndiGo expands its global footprint with new routes across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, the resumption of flights to China underscores its role in leading India’s air-connectivity push. With strong fundamentals on both trade and tourism demand, the Delhi and Kolkata–Guangzhou links may prove to be the starting point for broader India–China aviation cooperation in the coming years.

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