India-China Direct Flights Resume After Five-Year Hiatus As IndiGo Launches Daily Kolkata-Guangzhou Service
Flights between India and China were initially suspended in early 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, services remained halted following a deadly clash in Galwan valley region.
Direct flights between India and China resumed after five years as IndiGo commenced daily, non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou, reinstating direct connectivity between India and Mainland China.
Flights between India and China were initially suspended in early 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, services remained halted even after pandemic restrictions eased, as diplomatic tensions escalated following a deadly clash in Galwan valley region.
IndiGo's flights on this route will be operated on IndiGo’s A320 aircraft. Guangzhou in southern China is well-known as an important global business hub for manufacturing and export logistics.
"The resumption of connectivity from India caters to the growing demand for passenger and cargo movement between India and China, unlocking new opportunities for trade, investment, and tourism," the company siad in a release.
Building on this expansion, IndiGo will also begin flights between Delhi and Guangzhou from 10 November 2025, further strengthening its presence in this important trade and travel corridor, the company said.
Pieter Elbers, Chief Executive Officer at IndiGo, said, “We are excited to be the first Indian carrier to resume our daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou, reinstating one of the most important air links between India and China. At the same time, it opens doors for Chinese travellers and investors to explore the rich culture and growing markets of India. This strategic move will enhance bilateral ties, support MSMEs, and boost tourism, education, and healthcare in both countries. Strengthening such links is key to our purpose of giving wings to the nation, and increasingly to the world.”
Effective October 26, 2025, IndiGo started operating daily flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou. Flight 6E 1703 will continue to depart Kolkata at 22:00 and arrive in Guangzhou at 04:05 the following day. The return flight, 6E 1704, will depart Guangzhou at 05:35 and reach Kolkata at 07:50.
