India Explores Xinjiang Airspace for Airlines Amid Pakistan Ban
India is negotiating with China to utilize Xinjiang airspace as an alternative route for airlines due to ongoing restrictions from Pakistan.
India is in discussions with China for alternate flight routes via Xinjiang.
Pakistan has maintained airspace restrictions on Indian flights since April 2025.
China Southern Airlines is resuming direct flights between Guangzhou and New Delhi, enhancing connectivity.
India is currently engaged in negotiations with China to consider Xinjiang airspace as a potential alternative route for Indian airlines, following the ongoing ban on Indian flights using Pakistan's airspace. This development comes shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping's attendance at the BRICS Summit held in New Delhi.
The discussions regarding the new flight routes have reportedly been ongoing for over a year, focusing on routing flights through Hotan in Xinjiang. Sources indicate that the Ministry of External Affairs is actively collaborating with their Chinese counterparts to facilitate these alternate routes, reflecting a strategic move to enhance air connectivity amidst geopolitical tensions.
In a related development, China Southern Airlines has announced the resumption of direct flights between Guangzhou and New Delhi starting September 21, marking the return of a route that had been inactive for six years. This resumption is part of a larger effort to restore direct air links between India and China, which were disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating tensions along the border. China Southern plans to operate over 100 weekly flights across eight routes in South Asia, aiming to strengthen regional connectivity.
IndiGo, the first Indian airline to re-establish flights to China, resumed its services in October 2025, connecting Kolkata to Guangzhou, followed by Delhi to Guangzhou in November. Additionally, Air India restarted its direct flights between Delhi and Shanghai on February 1, 2026, after a nearly six-year hiatus, initially offering four flights per week and increasing to five by late March.
The renewed air connectivity between India and China occurs against a backdrop of diplomatic engagement between the two nations. However, the airspace ban imposed by Pakistan since April 2025 remains a significant challenge, necessitating alternative routing options for Indian airlines. Recently, Pakistan extended its restrictions on Indian aircraft for another month, following tensions related to the 2025 Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent military confrontations between the two countries.
