BEIJING- Three Chinese airlines, including a cargo operator, have applied to India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), for operational authorisation to restart direct flights to India.
This marks the first concrete move by Chinese carriers to re-enter the India market after a five-year suspension of services, with approvals for airport slots expected once operational clearance is granted.
Photo:-https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:China_Eastern_Airlines,_B-2020,_Boeing_777-39P_ER_%2819992854280%29.jpgChinese Airlines Restart India Flights
Industry sources confirmed that the airlines have approached the DGCA for approval, a mandatory step before applying for airport slots in Indian airports such as New Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), and Kolkata (CCU). Once granted, this would pave the way for the formal allocation of slots.
At the same time, Indian carriers are preparing to launch direct services to China (PEK, PVG, CAN).
To avoid delays tied to revising the existing air services agreement, both governments have agreed on a special arrangement to cap flights at 2019 levels. A high-level Indian delegation visited China last week to address pending regulatory hurdles, BusinessLine reported.
Photo: byeangel | FlickrBackground of Suspended Operations
Direct flights between India and China were suspended in early 2020 at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, even as connections to Hong Kong (HKG) resumed.
Before the suspension, carriers operated regular services linking major hubs like Shanghai (PVG), Guangzhou (CAN), New Delhi (DEL), Mumbai (BOM), and Kolkata (CCU).
Tensions escalated further after the Galwan Valley clashes in Ladakh in mid-2020, freezing any possibility of immediate resumption.
However, the thaw in relations was underscored when Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tianjin and announced the restart of direct air connectivity.
Photo: By Aero Icarus from Zürich, Switzerland – China Eastern Airlines Airbus A340-600; B-6055@LAX;11.10.2011/623fv, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26712319Signals of Diplomatic and Economic Shift
India’s embassy in Beijing has also resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese citizens after five years, reinforcing the push to normalise people-to-people exchange.
Aviation industry experts note that restoring direct flights will benefit bilateral trade, tourism, and student mobility, all of which suffered from the prolonged suspension.
Mark Matin of Martin Consulting highlighted that strong demand historically kept India–China routes profitable, with load factors reaching up to 90 percent. He noted that direct flights would also reduce revenue losses to third-country hubs and retain traffic within the two markets.
Photo: Sandeep/ atc spotterPassenger Demand and Market Potential
Estimates suggest that around one million passengers currently travel between India and China annually, mostly on one-stop connections through hubs like Singapore (SIN), Bangkok (BKK), and Dubai (DXB).
Analysts expect this number could triple to nearly three million if nonstop flights resume, supported by student travel, business ties, and rising tourism demand.
Mike Zhou of Wernosa Consulting in Shanghai underlined that Chinese carriers are keen to tap this latent demand. He stressed that sectors such as e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing would benefit significantly from direct connectivity between the two countries.
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India and China to Resume Direct Flights After 5-Year Hiatus
The post Chinese Airlines Seek Approval to Restart India Flights After 5-Year Hiatus appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
