Photo: Courtesy of IndiGo

India's airline IndiGo on Tuesday announced the launch of daily, direct flights between Kolkata and Shanghai, which will start on March 29. 

The announcement follows the recent reinstatement of IndiGo's services to Guangzhou, highlighting the airline's focus on improving connectivity and enabling smoother travel between the two countries, according to the statement the company sent to the Global Times.

Shanghai, China's premier global financial center and a major innovation hub, is an essential addition to the airline's network. With continued growth in exports from India to China in 2025-2026, including marine products, leather goods, and specialized textiles, direct air connectivity will further strengthen trade flows between China and India, said the statement. 

Vinay Mlalhotra, Global Head of Sales with IndiGo, said this addition to the network will play an important role in facilitating bilateral trade and is expected to boost tourism and promote greater cultural exchange between the two countries, per statement.

Previously, the carrier resumed the Kolkata-Guangzhou flight on October 26, 2025, which made IndiGo the first Indian airline to restart direct flights to the Chinese mainland after a five-year hiatus.

On November 11, IndiGo flight 6E 1701 arrived in Guangzhou from Delhi, marking the carrier's second route to the Chinese mainland after Kolkata.

Currently, there have two daily round-trip flights between Guangzhou and India. As of February 5, 2026, the Kolkata route has completed 102 flights, while the Delhi route has operated 87 flights, transporting approximately 54,000 passengers.

Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong said earlier in February that trade between the two countries hit a record $155.6 billion in 2025, up 12 percent year-on-year. India's exports to China grew 9.7 percent, reflecting the enormous potential of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

Xu noted that India resumed the issuance of tourist visas to Chinese citizens, and direct flights between the two countries were reinstated, facilitating mutual personnel exchanges.

On November 9, China Eastern Airlines flight MU563, carrying 248 passengers, departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport bound for Delhi, India, the first time for a domestic airline to resume the connection between the Chinese mainland and India after a five-year hiatus. 


Global Times