India–China Nonstop Flights Are Returning: Which Airlines Will Win the Route Revival?

India and China are moving closer to restoring nonstop flights – a development that could reshape airline strategies across Asia’s two biggest aviation markets.

Direct flights between India and mainland China reached a peak of more than 500 per month in December 2019. Those routes evaporated during the Covid-19 crisis and were further stalled by escalating border and diplomatic tensions. The last scheduled passenger flight between the two countries was in 2020.

Developments over the weekend saw both governments signal a cautious normalization of ties. Many airlines will be watching closely, but some carriers are better positioned than others to reenter this high-potential air corridor.

Before the pandemic, Indian airlines operated less than 30% of nonstop flights between the two countries. However, India's aviation landscape has undergone a significant transformation over the past five years, which may alter market dynamics.

With Air