Air China will resume direct flights between Beijing and Delhi from April 21, a move seen as a concrete step toward restoring air links that were disrupted by the Covid‑19 pandemic and the 2020 border clashes.
Yu Jing, a spokesperson at the Chinese Embassy in India, welcomed the relaunch on X, saying the restart signals support for trade, tourism and trust and serves as a positive sign for people‑to‑people exchanges within multilateral frameworks such as the SCO and BRICS.
Direct services had been suspended for more than four years after the pandemic and the June 2020 Galwan Valley confrontation. Flights began returning in phases from October last year, and the Ministry of External Affairs indicated in October 2025 that both capitals were working to normalise aviation links, with full restoration progressing gradually.
Bilateral relations remained strained since 2020, affecting travel, trade and official engagement. A notable easing came in October 2024, when India and China agreed on new patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control—an agreement widely interpreted as helping to lower tensions.
The relaunch of the Beijing–Delhi route is being viewed as part of broader efforts to rebuild engagement. Improved direct connectivity is expected to help business ties, boost tourism and make official exchanges easier between the two countries as diplomatic and economic channels reopen.
