Indian airlines are aggressively expanding their presence in the Chinese market after the two nations approved the resumption of direct flights following a six-year hiatus. IndiGo led the revival with the launch of direct services between Kolkata and Guangzhou in late October. Now, Air India is set to restart non-stop flights between Delhi and Shanghai (PVG) from February 1, 2026, marking its return to mainland China after nearly six years.
Subject to the requisite regulatory approvals, Air India also intends to introduce non-stop flights between Mumbai and Shanghai in 2026. From the Chinese side, local carrier China Eastern has started operating flights connecting India and mainland China.
Air India will operate four times a week between Delhi and Shanghai using its twin-aisle Boeing 787-8 aircraft, featuring 18 flat beds in Business Class and 238 seats in Economy Class. The reinstatement of Air India’s services to Shanghai follows recent India-China diplomatic agreements that restored air links paused in early 2020. Air India first launched non-stop services to mainland China in October 2000.
Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, Air India, said, “The resumption of our Delhi-Shanghai services is more than a route launch. It is a bridge between two great, ancient civilisations and modern economic powerhouses. At Air India, we are happy to reconnect one of the world’s most vital air corridors, enabling travellers to pursue opportunities in business, trade, healthcare, education and culture with the comfort and warm Indian hospitality that define Air India.”
Shanghai will be the Tata Group airline’s 48th international destination. Data shows that before the pandemic, there were 539 scheduled direct flights per month between India and China. Indian carriers - IndiGo and Air India (then operated by the Centre) – operated 168 flights while the remaining were run by Chinese airlines such as Air China, China Eastern and China Southern.
IndiGo has also commenced daily, non-stop flights between Delhi and Guangzhou from 10 November 2025. The country’s largest airline has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China Southern Airlines to establish a codeshare partnership and mutual co-operation agreement.
Direct flights between India and China had been suspended since early 2020, initially due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently amid heightened tensions following the Galwan Valley military standoff that year. The strained relations persisted for several years and only recently have the two countries moved to improve trade and diplomatic engagement.
Industry experts believe that the resumption of direct flight services between India and China presents major growth opportunities by making travel, trade and cross-border business more efficient for both countries.
Daily non-stop cargo flights eliminates the need for rerouting cargo via regional hubs like Singapore, Bangkok or Hong Kong, reducing overall transit times by up to 24 hours and cutting freight costs by 15–20%. Further, the two nations are leading air traffic growth in the Asia Pacific region, with India expected to become the fastest-growing major aviation market from 2026 onward.