April 23, 2026
NEW DELHI – Amid warming bilateral relations between India and China, Air China has resumed Beijing-Delhi flight services, giving a major boost to air connectivity between the two countries.
According to a news report by the Chinese English daily Global Times, the service will run three times a week on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
The economy class fares will start from approximately Rs 49,000 (3570 yuan), with the flight departing at 3:15 pm from Beijing and arriving in Delhi at 8:20 pm local time.
The bilateral ties between India and China have improved since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Tianjin last year.
Following the visit, both countries agreed to resume flight services and bilateral trade via Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Shipki La Pass in Himachal Pradesh after a six-year hiatus.
Last month, China Eastern Airlines resumed its direct flight between Kunming and Kolkata. The carrier had earlier resumed direct flights between New Delhi and Shanghai in November last year.
Similarly, Indian airlines have also undertaken similar measures, with IndiGo resuming daily direct flights between Kolkata and Shanghai from March 29.
Earlier, IndiGo resumed the Kolkata-Guangzhou route and launched the Delhi-Guangzhou route.
Border trade via Lipulekh Pass set to resume in June
India and China are also set to resume border trade through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand after a six-year hiatus.
The trade, which was halted in 2020 following border clashes between the armies of the two countries, will resume in June this year.
The development follows the August 2025 diplomatic agreement between India and China to reopen three designated Himalayan trade routes – Lipulekh, Shipki La, and Nathu La.