Air connectivity to restart as early as next month, with announcement likely during SCO summit in China

India and China are set to restore direct passenger flights as soon as next month, ending a five-year halt to air travel between the two countries. People familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Indian airlines have been advised to be ready to operate to China at short notice.

The move, expected to be formally announced during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in China later this month, is being viewed as a potential step toward easing political tensions between New Delhi and Beijing.

Flights have been suspended since the COVID-19 outbreak

Direct flights between India and China were suspended after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. Since then, travelers have relied on indirect routes through hubs like Hong Kong or Singapore.

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The planned resumption follows recent signs of diplomatic cooperation, with Beijing publicly backing New Delhi against new US tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. The tariffs were introduced over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, a policy that has also strengthened India’s ties with Moscow and Beijing.

Last week, China’s foreign ministry said India’s “sovereignty is non-negotiable” and that its foreign policy choices “cannot be manipulated by other countries.” The Chinese Embassy in India also shared an illustration depicting an elephant, representing India, facing off against a baseball bat, symbolising US tariffs.

Air India faces route changes amid fleet overhaul

The development comes a day after Air India announced it will suspend its nonstop Delhi–Washington flights from 1 September. The airline cited a combination of factors, including a shortage of aircraft, while 26 Boeing 787-8 planes undergo retrofitting.

“The suspension is primarily driven by the planned shortfall in Air India’s fleet, as the airline commenced retrofitting 26 of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft last month,” the airline said.

If confirmed at the SCO summit, the resumption of flights between India and China would mark one of the most tangible signs of warming ties since the pandemic and border tensions of recent years.