NEW DELHI, SEPT 12: China Southern Airlines affirmed on Saturday that regular passenger services on the Guangzhou-New Delhi route will restart on September 21 after remaining suspended for six years. The Guangzhou-headquartered carrier maintained that the resumption will expand its network across South Asia, bringing its operational strength to over one hundred weekly flights spanning eight round-trip routes in the region.
The announcement from one of China’s major state-affiliated carriers coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping arriving in India on Saturday. President Xi is scheduled to attend the BRICS summit and engage in high-level discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi aimed at furthering bilateral relations between the two neighboring nations.
Direct air connectivity between India and China faced interruption following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Operations remained on hold during the subsequent diplomatic and military standoff along the border in eastern Ladakh, which reached a resolution in October last year. The upcoming flights mark a structured step toward normalized civilian transport links between the two major Asian economies.
