India pursues Chinese air corridor to cut flights
India is examining a new corridor across Chinese airspace to cut airline travel time and expenses. The Ministry of External Affairs is negotiating with Chinese officials about directing Indian flights through Xinjiang, potentially via Hotan in western China for its carriers overall.
These talks have been underway for over a year, according to sources. If approved, the new route could offer Indian carriers an alternative for select westbound services to Europe and the US.
Pakistan’s airspace has been closed to Indian airlines since April 2025, forcing carriers to operate longer routes. This has significantly impacted long-haul flights, resulting in higher fuel and crew costs.
The talks with China coincide with the gradual restoration of India-China air connectivity, following a disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and bilateral tensions. China Southern Airlines has resumed Guangzhou-New Delhi flights, and Indian carriers have also restarted services to China.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has stated that bilateral ties between India and China are improving, describing the relationship as having gone “so much off-track” in recent years. Access to Chinese airspace could be significant for Indian aviation, providing greater flexibility in planning westbound operations.
An alternate corridor could help contain the cost impact of the continuing Pakistan airspace restrictions. Indian carriers, such as IndiGo and Air India, have already resumed services to China, with Air India increasing the frequency of its Delhi-Shanghai flights to five a week.
