India and China have re-established direct flights between the two nations after a five-year hiatus, a significant development that reflects the ongoing thawing of relations between the countries. The resumption of direct flights, announced earlier this month by India's government, marks a major milestone in the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges between the neighbours.
The first direct flight from Kolkata to Guangzhou was operated by IndiGo and carried approximately 180 passengers on board. The airline has stated that the resumption of direct flights will facilitate people-to-people contact and help with "the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges". Travel data provider OAG reports that around 2,588 scheduled flights were operated between India and China in 2019 before services were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The resumption of direct flights comes after a series of developments indicating a significant improvement in relations between India and China. In August, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China for the first time in seven years, meeting President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. Earlier that month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had visited India to discuss "de-escalation, delimitation, and boundary affairs" with officials in Delhi.
In July, India restarted issuing visas for Chinese tourists, further indicating a gradual relaxation of visa restrictions between the two nations. China Eastern Airlines is set to launch a flight connecting Shanghai and Delhi next month, which will fly three times a week from 9 November, according to a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in India posted on X.
Passengers at Kolkata airport expressed happiness over the resumption of direct flights, citing reduced travel time and improved connectivity between the countries. One passenger, Krishna Goyal, said that direct flights would boost trade and relations between India and China, noting that earlier he had to change multiple flights to reach China from Kolkata.
The senior Chinese consular official, Qin Yong, hailed the resumption of direct flights as a "very important day for the India-China relationship". This development reflects a growing sense of normalcy in relations between India and China, which have been strained due to border disputes and security concerns.
The first direct flight from Kolkata to Guangzhou was operated by IndiGo and carried approximately 180 passengers on board. The airline has stated that the resumption of direct flights will facilitate people-to-people contact and help with "the gradual normalisation of bilateral exchanges". Travel data provider OAG reports that around 2,588 scheduled flights were operated between India and China in 2019 before services were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The resumption of direct flights comes after a series of developments indicating a significant improvement in relations between India and China. In August, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China for the first time in seven years, meeting President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. Earlier that month, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had visited India to discuss "de-escalation, delimitation, and boundary affairs" with officials in Delhi.
In July, India restarted issuing visas for Chinese tourists, further indicating a gradual relaxation of visa restrictions between the two nations. China Eastern Airlines is set to launch a flight connecting Shanghai and Delhi next month, which will fly three times a week from 9 November, according to a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in India posted on X.
Passengers at Kolkata airport expressed happiness over the resumption of direct flights, citing reduced travel time and improved connectivity between the countries. One passenger, Krishna Goyal, said that direct flights would boost trade and relations between India and China, noting that earlier he had to change multiple flights to reach China from Kolkata.
The senior Chinese consular official, Qin Yong, hailed the resumption of direct flights as a "very important day for the India-China relationship". This development reflects a growing sense of normalcy in relations between India and China, which have been strained due to border disputes and security concerns.
you know what's wild, i just saw this crazy video of a street performer in bangkok who can make that fire breather thing go like 10 feet high 
i mean, i get it, people love watching fire shows, but still... how did he even do that? 
and it got me thinking, have you ever noticed how some of the best performers are just, like, naturally talented or something? like, no one teaches someone to be a great fire breather, right? 
Direct flights between India and China are back on! It's crazy to think about how far these two nations have come. I mean, remember when everyone was stuck on a 3-month layover in Southeast Asia? 
. I'm loving how the airline's trying to spin this as "people-to-people contact" – it's not just about flights, it's about building bridges (literally!). Can't wait to see more flights pop up between these two giants!
india and china are getting back on track after that whole covid thing broke them off i mean we all know the tension between those two nations was high but now they're making steps in the right direction like narendra modi visiting china for the first time in ages and chinese foreign minister wang yi coming to india to chill with officials it looks like trade and relations are gonna get a major boost with direct flights resuming yay we can finally see some progress on this front
Oh man, it's crazy to think that we're living in a time where India and China are getting all cozy with each other again. I mean, five years is a long time without direct flights, but it's awesome that they've finally re-established them. I can imagine how frustrating it must've been for people like Krishna Goyal who had to take multiple flights just to get to China.
I'm literally so hyped about this news!!! Direct flights between India and China are back on after 5 whole years! It's like a weight has been lifted off our shoulders 
. I mean think about it, we can now travel to China in like half the time, no more having to take multiple flights 
. Indian PM Modi's visit to China was a huge step in normalizing relations and now this is the cherry on top 
. I'm shipping India-China relations hard right now 
. Can't wait to see more flights and tourism between our countries! 
. It's amazing how just a series of small steps can lead to big changes, like when Modi visited China last month 
. My kid is actually studying abroad in China next year and this news must have made her super excited 
I can only imagine how frustrating it must be for people like Krishna Goyal who had to change multiple flights just to get to China from Kolkata. It's amazing how something as simple as flying can bring people closer together and boost trade. 
The fact that India and China are re-establishing these connections after a 5-year hiatus is a huge deal, and it's heartening to see both countries taking steps towards normalizing their relations. 
plus, it's just nice to see india & china getting along better after all the tensions we've seen in recent years 
️ The fact that they're finally getting these flights back up is kinda amazing... I mean, it's taken five whole years, right? 
but anyway back to this news... I think it's so cool that india and china are getting along better now 
after 5 years! I mean, it's like they're saying "let's chill" on all the drama between them 
. It's actually kinda cool to think about people getting to travel easily between these two huge countries without all the hassle. Plus, more flights means more chances for businesses to trade & connect, right? 
I'm sure some folks in Kolkata are super stoked about it too - I mean, who wouldn't wanna save time on a flight? 