AVIATION : VERY SOON THE DIRECT FLIGHT SERVICES BETWEEN CHINA AND INDIA WILL RESUME, TOP GOVERNMENT LEVEL DISCUSSIONS ARE GOING ON SAYS XU WEI, CONSUL GENERAL OF CHINA IN KOLKATA , SUSPENDED SINCE THE PAST FIVE YEARS

BY DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY

KOLKATA | 16 JUNE 2025

Very soon direct flight services between India and China will resume  and the discussions between the two  big Asian nations are going on at present in the highest level and it will further boost the trade and tourism  of both countries , said Xu Wei, Consul General of  People’s Republic of China in Kolkata.

Talking to The Travel and Tourism Times, Mr.  Xu Wei, Consul General of China in Kokkata has informed that  that  since  the outbreak of the Covid -19 global pandemic, the Indian Government has closed international flight operations, but though  the suspension was withdrawn in March 2022, after a gap of almost two years, the India – China direct flight services did not resume till date and recently there has been discussions between the two governments for resuming the commercial regular  direct flights.

Mr. Xu Wei has been advocating  for resumption of the India – China direct air connectivity as early as possible  since the past few months to strengthen the bilateral relationships, trade and tourism.

His comments  have come at a time when there was a  recent meeting between foreign secretary  of India, Mr. Vikram Misri and vice foreign minister of China,  Mr. Sun Weidong in New Delhi on last Friday.

It has been discussed to further build the tie up,  people centric engagements will be encouraged and for that resuming direct flight connectivity is absolute neceassry.  An updated Air Service Agreement will be finalized soon between the two countries after which the direct flight services will resume, sources said. However, the date of resumption of direct flight services is yet not announced.

“ The resumption of direct flight services to China from India  will be a positive step for tourism. It will not only boost the number of visitors between both the countries but also enhance economic growth. With easier access , more travelers will be able to explore each others rich cultural heritage , stunning landscapes, and vibrant citiers. Tourism is always about people to people connections, breaking down barriers and fostering greater understanding between nations,” said Smt. Jyoti Mayal,  Chairperson  of Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC) and immediate past president of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI)  and a prominent tourism sector expert in India.

As countries become economically independent through tourism, it paves the way for peace and cooperation. Byy bringing people together , tourism can be a powerful driver of global harmony and prosperity. Let’s look forward to a  surge in tourism , drive peace  and new era of travel opportunities that will benefit not just our economies , but also our culture and communities, she concluded .

Dr. Kaulesh Kumar, Secretary General of Association of Buddhist Tour Operators (ABTO) said that   due to the modern advanced world, most tourists prefer flights to save time and comfortability. China is a fast growing country ,  having world’s largest population and largest numbers of  Buddhist followers in the world, so they can be attracted further with direct flight connectivity.

“ Every Buddhist tourist wants to see our holy places like Lumbini, Sarnath, Kushinagar, the tourism will boost in these destinations once direct flight operations resume from China. MICE, Travel Mart, Road Shows etc will be organized  regularly to  promote in all Asian or Buddhist Countries followers for promotion   and explorations of Buddhist  Tourism Circuits in India,”he said.

Since  February 2020,  direct  flight services  between Kolkata and mainland China has been stopped. China Eastern Airlines and  IndiGo used to operate direct flights to China from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport (NSCBI)  in Kolkata. IndiGo used to connect Kolkata with Guangzhou in China daily, while China Eastern Airlines used to connect Kolkata daily with Kunming.

Both IndiGo and China Eastern Airlines had a seating capacity of 150 to 180 passengers daily  before the suspension of flights, while China Eastern Airlines started flight operations from Kolkata in 2007, IndiGo started flight operations from Kolkata  to China from 2019.