China Eastern Airlines Resumes Direct Flights to India After Five-Year Hiatus

Direct Air Links Re-established Between Shanghai and Delhi

China Eastern Airlines is set to resume direct commercial flights between Shanghai and Delhi starting November 9, 2025, marking the end of a five-year suspension. This development is widely regarded as a significant step towards normalizing diplomatic relations and easing long-standing border tensions between China and India.

Flight Details and Schedule

The state-backed airline will operate the Shanghai-Delhi route three times a week, on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The service will utilize an Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft. The flight schedule is as follows:

• Outbound Flight (MU563): Departs Shanghai Pudong Airport at 12:50 PM, arriving at Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi at 5:45 PM local time.
• Return Flight (MU564): Departs Delhi at 7:55 PM, arriving in Shanghai Pudong at 4:10 AM the following day local time.

Background to the Suspension and Resumption

Direct flights between India and China were initially suspended in early 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The hiatus was prolonged by escalating border tensions, particularly after the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020, which led to a significant downturn in bilateral relations. During this period, travelers between the two countries were forced to use indirect routes, often through Southeast Asian hubs.

The decision to resume flights follows a series of diplomatic engagements, including an agreement reached between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin in August 2025. China has described the resumption as a 'positive step,' demonstrating that both countries are 'faithfully acting' on understandings to strengthen bilateral ties. India's Ministry of External Affairs had confirmed earlier in October that commercial flights would restart.

Broader Implications and Other Airline Movements

The resumption of direct flights by China Eastern Airlines is seen as a crucial indicator of improving ties and is expected to inject new momentum into personnel exchanges and economic cooperation between the two nations. The Shanghai-Delhi corridor is considered a strategically significant air route, connecting major economic and cultural centers. Beyond China Eastern, other airlines are also re-establishing connections; IndiGo Airlines, for instance, has announced the resumption of services between Kolkata and Guangzhou from October 26, and between Delhi and Guangzhou from November 10.