A new era of air connectivity between China and India is about to begin as IndiGo announces that daily nonstop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou will resume on October 26, 2025. After more than five years of the gradual reopening of direct passenger air routes between the two nations, this is a major development. The move reflects a growing emphasis on trade, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges and is consistent with the Indian Ministry of External Affairs’ recent announcement allowing airlines to operate direct flights from designated Indian cities to Mainland China.
Using IndiGo’s Airbus A320neo aircraft, the Kolkata–Guangzhou route is anticipated to improve travel efficiency and provide passengers with contemporary amenities. Bookings for the route will open on the airline’s official website and mobile application on October 3, 2025. In addition to making travel more convenient, the resuscitation of this route aims to improve India-China trade and cultural ties. Strategically important for trade and business travel are Guangzhou, a major business centre in southern China, and Kolkata, the entry point to eastern India.
The return of daily flights, according to industry observers, will benefit a number of industries, including business travel, education, MICE, and tourism, allowing for more seamless interactions and opportunities for collaboration. The availability of a direct route greatly cuts down on travel time and improves connectivity for conferences, exhibitions, and business meetings for event planners and corporate travelers. It also reflects the larger trend of the two Asian superpowers’ improving economic engagement and bilateral ties.
Pieter Elbers, the CEO of IndiGo, underlined the significance of this development, stressing that smooth connectivity between China and India is essential for mutual engagement, trade, and cultural exchange. More than just a return of direct flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou, the move signifies a resurgence of people-to-people and economic ties, creating opportunities for improved collaboration and communication between various industries. Travelers, companies, and the MICE sector stand to gain from reopened access to one of Asia’s most vibrant and rapidly expanding regions as India and China move closer to one another.
