The Indian government is exploring an alternate air route and is in talks with China to secure access to airspace over Xinjiang, sources told NDTV Profit. The government is also exploring a possible air route over Bhutan as it looks at alternative options. The Ministry of External Affairs is engaging with its Chinese counterparts as part of the discussions, sources said.
The talks with China have been underway for more than a year, according to the sources. Discussions are focused on the possibility of using airspace over Xinjiang as an alternative route.
The developments come against the backdrop of the continued closure of Pakistan’s airspace to Indian aircraft. Pakistan’s airspace has remained shut to India since April 2025, making alternative routing options an important consideration for air travel.
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Pakistan, two weeks ago, extended its restrictions on Indian aircraft by another month amid continuing tensions with New Delhi following the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and the following military confrontation between the two neighboring countries.
Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival at the recently held BRICS Summit in New Delhi, China Southern Airlines announced that it will resume direct flights between Guangzhou and New Delhi from September 21, restoring a route that has been suspended for six years.
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The resumption is part of a broader restoration of direct air links between the two countries after services were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent tensions along the India-China border. China Southern said it will operate more than 100 weekly flights across eight round-trip routes in South Asia, strengthening connectivity between China and the region.
Several airlines have already restored services between India and China in 2026. Air India resumed flights between New Delhi and China in February, while Air China restarted its Beijing-New Delhi service in April. China Eastern also brought back flights between Kunming and Kolkata on April 18. IndiGo has expanded its China operations as well, launching daily nonstop flights between Kolkata and Shanghai on March 30 and reinstating services to Guangzhou and Delhi. The renewed air connectivity comes against the backdrop of a broader diplomatic engagement between Indian capital New Delhi and Beijing.
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