Direct air connectivity between India and China has received a big boost with Air China resuming its Beijing-Delhi service, according to a news report by Chinese publication Global Times.
The airline was scheduled to restart its direct route between Beijing and Delhi from Tuesday, marking the second route to India to resume by Chinese carriers this month.
Global Times reported the service will operate three times a week (on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays), using an Airbus 330 aircraft. Economy class fares are expected 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).
Other India-China flights
The development comes days after the recent resumption of flights by China Eastern Airlines, which restarted its direct service between Kunming and Kolkata on April 18.
“This was the carrier’s latest expansion of its China-India route network following the resumption of the Shanghai-Delhi route in November 2025,” the news report noted.
China Eastern Airlines added that the Kunming-Kolkata route, operating six weekly round-trip flights with Boeing 737 aircraft, is expected to enhance convenience for travel and cooperation between the two countries.
On March 30, IndiGo kickstarted its inaugural daily, nonstop service between Kolkata and Shanghai, marking another significant milestone in strengthening air connectivity between India and China which was halted since the 2020 Galwan clash and Covid pandemic.
Previously, IndiGo announced the launch of its daily direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou, China, starting November 10, 2025. The route is operated using IndiGo’s Airbus A320 aircraft.
The announcement followed the Ministry of External Affairs’ (MEA) confirmation of the resumption of direct flights between India and China.
In March, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said India, China relations have embarked on a “correct path” of improvement, and their shared interests far outweigh differences,
Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, China-India relations have embarked on a correct path of improvement and development, PTI news agency quoted as saying Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).
Facing a complex and turbulent international situation, China is willing 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, he said during a farewell call on the outgoing Indian Ambassador Pradeep Rawat.
