State-owned China Eastern Airlines is set to resume round-trip flights between Shanghai and New Delhi starting November 9, marking a significant step towards the normalisation of India-China relations. This resumption follows an agreement made during a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin in August, 2025. The two countries had decided to restart direct flights between selected cities after a five-year hiatus, signalling improved diplomatic and economic ties.
China Eastern Airlines to Resume Direct Shanghai-Delhi Flights
While no official announcement has been made by the China Eastern Airlines, their website shows, a direct Shanghai-Delhi flight on November 9. The outbound flight from Shanghai’s Pudong Airport is scheduled to depart at 12:50 pm and will arrive at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 5:45 pm (local time). The flights will operate every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Meanwhile, the return flight from Delhi will depart at 7:55 pm and arrive at Shanghai Pudong at 4:10 am the following day. The airline has already begun ticket sales for the route, which is set to commence next month.
India And China Agree To Resume Direct Air Services
Notably, Earlier on October 2, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that India and China have reached an agreement after discussions on resuming direct air services between the two countries by late October 2025.
“Since earlier this year, as part of the Government’s approach towards gradual normalization of relations between India and China, the civil aviation authorities of the two countries have been engaged in technical-level discussions on resuming direct air services between the two countries and on a revised Air Services Agreement,” the statement noted.
Following this, IndiGo Airlines had also announced the resumption of flights from India to mainland China. The airline said in a statement: “Following the recent diplomatic initiatives, IndiGo announced the resumption of its services to Mainland China, connecting Kolkata to Guangzhou (CAN) with daily, non-stop flights starting 26 October 2025. Subject to regulatory approvals, IndiGo will also introduce direct flights between Delhi and Guangzhou shortly. IndiGo will use its Airbus A320neo aircraft to operate these flights that will re-establish avenues for cross-border trade and strategic business partnerships and promote tourism between the two nations.”
