China Eastern Airlines has resumed its Shanghai-Delhi flight route starting Sunday, operating three times a week on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays using Airbus A330 planes. The flight departs Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 12:50 PM and arrives in Delhi at 5:45 PM local time. The return flight leaves Delhi at 7:55 PM and lands in Shanghai at 4:10 AM the following day. This move marks the first direct passenger flights between China and India since they were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and border tensions.
IndiGo has also expanded its China services, launching daily flights between Delhi and Guangzhou starting November 10 and having already resumed flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou in late October. These restored air routes aim to strengthen economic, trade, and cultural ties while facilitating people-to-people exchanges.
The resumption of flights follows easing of diplomatic tensions and troop disengagements along the India-China border, signaling a positive shift in bilateral relations. China Eastern plans to further expand its connectivity with upcoming routes such as Kunming-Kolkata and possibly Shanghai-Mumbai in the near future.
