New Delhi: In a huge boost to direct connectivity between India and China, Air China has resumed its Beijing–Delhi flight, as per a report by the Chinese publication Global Times.
The airline restarted its direct Beijing–Delhi service from Tuesday, making it the second route to India resumed by a Chinese carrier this month.
According to the Global Times report, the service will be available three times a week (on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays), using an Airbus 330 aircraft. Economy class fares are likely to start from 3,570 yuan (USD 523), with departures scheduled at 3:15 pm and arrivals in Delhi at 8:20 pm (local time).
Direct Kunming–Kolkata service restarted
On April 18, China Eastern Airlines had restarted its direct Kunming–Kolkata service. The Global Times report said: “This was the carrier’s latest expansion of its China-India route network following the resumption of the Shanghai-Delhi route in November 2025.”
China Eastern Airlines said that the Kunming-Kolkata route, operating six weekly round-trip flights with Boeing 737 aircraft, is likely to increase convenience for travel and enhance cooperation between the two nations.
Kolkata-Shanghai nonstop service
It was on March 30 that IndiGo launched its inaugural daily, nonstop service between Kolkata and Shanghai. This marked another big milestone in enhancing air connectivity between India and China. Air services had been stopped between the two nations since the 2020 Galwan clash and 2019 Covid pandemic.
Earlier, IndiGo had declared the launch of its daily direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou, China, from November 10, 2025. The route is operated using IndiGo’s Airbus A320 plane.
The Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) had confirmed the resumption of direct flights between India and China ahead of IndiGo’s announcement.
What Chinese foreign minister said
In March this year, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi pointed out that relations between India and China are moving on a “correct path” of improvement.
PTI quoted Wang as saying: Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, China-India relations have embarked on a correct path of improvement and development. Wang is also a member of the Political Bureau of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).
Wang also said that China is ready to work with India to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, uphold the principle of viewing each other as development opportunities rather than threats and treat each other as partners rather than competitors.