Direct flights seen to benefit connectivity

Sunday's milestone start to resume air links between India and China can boost wide-ranging economic and cultural cooperation between the world's two most populous countries, insiders and analysts said.

Pieter Elbers, chief executive officer of IndiGo, said in a press release on Monday, "We are excited to be the first Indian carrier to resume our daily nonstop flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou, reinstating one of the most important air links between India and China."

On Sunday, spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in India Yu Jing hailed the development. "Direct flights between China and India are now a reality," wrote Yu on X.

IndiGo flight 6E 1703, an A320neo aircraft, took off from Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport at 10 pm on Sunday with 176 passengers on board and landed in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou early Monday morning.

On its return leg, flight 6E 1704 took off from Guangzhou at 05:35 am on Monday and landed in Kolkata at 07:21 am.

The company said it has plans to introduce more direct routes between key Indian and Chinese cities. On Nov 10, the carrier is slated to resume daily direct flights between New Delhi and Guangzhou.

China Eastern Airlines has announced it will resume direct services on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays between Shanghai and New Delhi starting Nov 9.

Before the flight's departure from Kolkata airport, passengers and airport authorities marked the occasion with a brief ceremony, symbolizing the spirit of renewed friendship and cooperation between India and China. Airport Director Pravat Ranjan Beuria, along with officials from the Airports Authority of India, or AAI, and IndiGo Airlines, was present.

"It is very encouraging and a great moment that IndiGo has resumed a direct flight from NSCBI airport to China's Guangzhou and we are expecting more direct routes with other Chinese cities," the airport director said.

Elbers of IndiGo said the resumed flight "opens doors for Chinese travelers and investors to explore the rich culture and growing markets of India", and, "this strategic move will enhance bilateral ties, support MSMEs, and boost tourism, education, and healthcare in both countries".

Speaking in Kolkata last week, China's Consul-General Xu Wei said the flight resumption is a positive sign, a practical step that helps connect more than 2.8 billion people more easily.

Deputy Consul-General of China in Kolkata, Qin Yong, said the initial aim is to connect Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen with Delhi and Kolkata. "We wish to build a sincere and closer partnership with India so that trade and commerce between the two countries grow stronger."

Long-awaited service

A long-awaited direct flight is not only about reducing travel time and travel cost, it connects the emotions of thousands of Indian people, tourists, businesspeople and entrepreneurs with Chinese people, said Monica Liu, an ethnic-Chinese Indian passenger on the inaugural flight.

Liu, a 72-year-old award-winning entrepreneur from Kolkata, had earlier faced many hardships while traveling to the Chinese mainland due to the absence of direct flights.

Atul Dalakoti, executive director of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, who has lived for decades in China, cheered the resumption of the new flights.

He said during the pandemic years, he had to travel to the Chinese mainland via Singapore, Bangkok, or the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which caused a lot of inconvenience.

Direct flight services between the Chinese mainland and India were suspended in March 2020 following the COVID-19 pandemic. It is estimated that more Indian and Chinese airlines could offer direct flight operations later.

This renewed air connectivity will undoubtedly act as a catalyst for deeper business engagement and mutual growth, said Shranik Chopra, an Indian trader. "The long-awaited flight is truly commendable," said Chopra, a frequent flyer to China, who will fly to Guangzhou from Kolkata airport on Nov 6.

Rajeev Singh, head of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata, called the development wonderful, saying it would help Indian businesses save time, costs and resources, making Indian exports more competitive.

The resumption of direct flights between India and China is "significant" for economic, diplomatic, and strategic reasons, said Senior Political Correspondent of The Statesman Rajib Chakraborty.

Aparajit Chakraborty is a freelance journalist for China Daily.

Xu Weiwei in Hong Kong contributed to this story.