IndiGo currently connects India with four key cities in Saudi Arabia - Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, and Madinah - along with a growing network across the Middle East.
Direct flights operated between the two countries until early 2020, when they were suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic. The services remained halted amid the border row in eastern Ladakh. IndiGo flight 6E1703 from Kolkata touched down in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou shortl
India and China are reconnecting with the resumption of direct flights after a 5-year gap! The IndiGo flight 6E1703 took off from Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, marking a significant improvement in bilateral relations.
The IndiGo flight carried 176 passengers and was celebrated with a ceremonial lamp lighting attended by a passenger, airport officials, and airline representatives.
On Sunday, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India confirmed the development. "Direct flights between China and India are now a reality, " wrote spokesperson Yu Jing on X.
IndiGo announced on Friday its thrice-weekly, direct flights to Athens, departing from Mumbai and Delhi, effective January 23 and 24, 2026, respectively, according to the company's release.
According to the airline, the flight from Delhi is scheduled to depart at 9:45 pm and arrive in Guangzhou at 4:40 am. The return flight from Guangzhou is scheduled to depart at 5:50 am and arrive in Delhi at 10:10 am. Tickets for the route are now available on the IndiGo website.
According to an official statement from Air India Express, services to Jeddah will commence on October 26, 2025, while flights to Riyadh and Kuwait will begin on October 27, 2025, further strengthening connectivity between South India and the Middle East.
On October 3, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the resumption of direct flights between India and China aligns with the growing trend towards normalisation in the relationship between the two nations.
SpiceJet announced the launch of daily flights to two of India's most sought-after winter destinations - Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Udaipur, Rajasthan.