In the direction of normalizing India-China relations, China Eastern Airlines is preparing to restart round-trip flights between Shanghai and New Delhi from 9 November 2025. This flight between the two cities will run every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The airline will use Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft on this route, in which passengers will get better comfort and Wi-Fi facilities during long distance travel.

Flight timings between New Delhi-Shanghai

China Eastern Airlines flight MU563 will depart from Shanghai at 12:50 pm and reach Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 5:45 pm. Whereas flight MU564 will depart from Delhi at 7:55 pm and reach Shanghai at 4:10 am the next morning. The airline has also started selling tickets for this route, which is expected to strengthen the trade, education, technology and tourism sectors.

Connectivity between the two countries will increase: Airlines

During the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin in August this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had announced the resumption of direct flights between selected cities of the two countries. On behalf of China Eastern Airlines, it was said that this step will add new energy to the contacts and business relations between the two countries.

Indigo had also announced to start flights

Earlier this month, IndiGo had announced to start daily flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou, China from October 26. The airline is also expected to start flight operations between Delhi and Guangzhou. IndiGo CEO Peter Elbers had said on October 3, “We are extremely excited to announce the resumption of direct flights between India and China. We are proud to be among the first airlines to launch direct flights to China from two cities. This step will also strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

Flights between India and China were stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, even after everything was back on track, flights between the two countries did not start. Due to the violent clash in Galwan Valley and failure to agree on the air bubble agreement, aviation links between the two countries remained stalled for a long time.

China on Thursday (October 09, 2025) termed the resumption of direct flights with India after a gap of five years as a positive step. China said that this shows that both the countries are working sincerely on the agreement reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping to strengthen bilateral relations.

Addressing the first press conference after China’s eight-day national holiday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said that flights will resume by the end of October. India had announced on October 2 that direct flights to China would resume from October 26.

‘India and China are working honestly’

Guo said in response to a question, ‘This latest step shows how the two countries are sincerely working on the important common understanding reached between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Tianjin on August 31.’

Modi and Jinping met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Tianjin and welcomed the positive and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan, Russia in October 2024.

‘China ready to become a good neighbor and partner’

Guo said China is willing to work with India to view and manage bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and become good neighbors and partners who cooperate for each other’s success. He used the metaphor of a ‘dragon and elephant cooperative relationship’ to emphasize the shared responsibilities of China and India in achieving peace, prosperity and better outcomes for the peoples of both countries and for Asia as a whole.

Flight services resume between India and China

Chinese airlines like Air China previously operated flights between the two countries, but have not yet formally announced plans to restart flights. Sources said that Indian airline Indigo and China Eastern will be the first two airlines to resume direct flights between the two countries.

IndiGo had said in a statement that it plans to operate daily flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou from October 26. Flight services between the two countries were suspended in 2020 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was not reinstated in view of the border standoff that had continued for more than four years in eastern Ladakh.

Also read:- ‘Ask Israel Sahab a question’, Asaduddin Owaisi angry over violation of visa rules in India

India and China have agreed to resume direct flights by the end of this month (October 2025). The Civil Aviation Authority of India and China has been discussing a revised air service agreement between the two countries since the beginning of this year and a revised air service agreement. This is part of the policy of the Government of India gradually normalizing relations between the two countries.

Direct flight will start from this month

According to the statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs, after these discussions, it has now been agreed that the direct flight services connecting the designated places between India and China can start by the end of October 2025. This will be according to the winter season time-series, provided the commercial decisions of the designated airlines of both countries and all operational norms are met.

Contact to India-China will be encouraged: Ministry of External Affairs

The statement further stated, “This agreement of civil aviation authorities will further boost the contact between people between India and China, which will help to gradually normalize bilateral exchange.”

During his meeting at Tianjin during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping considered the practical view of the two countries to prioritize talks, trust-making measures and regional engagement. The purpose of the meeting was to strengthen bilateral relations and to carry forward recent progress in India-China relations.

LAC agreed on patrol rules

The two countries agreed to the rules of patrolling on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), 3,500 km, which reduced the four -year -old border dispute. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the two leaders appreciated the agreement reached last year and peace on the border. He committed to find a proper solution to the border issue with mutual consent and keep in mind the long -term interests of the people of both countries.

Talk between India-China leaders

The two leaders also agreed to support the important decisions taken in the conversation of special representatives earlier this month. In September, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India and held special representative talks on the border issue. He said in a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval that stable India-China relations are in the interest of both countries and developing countries want it. Earlier, the long postponed Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra was restored for the summer of 2025.