IndiGo Launches Direct Shanghai-Kolkata Flight

IndiGo Launches Daily Shanghai-Kolkata Flights, Boosting India-China Connectivity​

Beijing, March 30 – IndiGo airline launched its daily flight service between Shanghai and Kolkata on Monday, marking a significant step in bolstering air connectivity between India and China.

New Route Established​

The IndiGo 6E flight was inaugurated by Pratik Mathur, the Indian Consul General in Shanghai. Speaking to IndiGo management, Mathur highlighted the positive momentum in air connectivity and the resurgence of economic links between the two nations. The Indian Consulate in Shanghai shared details of the event on X.

Kolkata Becomes Second Indian City Linked to Shanghai​

Kolkata is now the second Indian city, following New Delhi, to be directly linked with Shanghai, China’s commercial capital. The new route is anticipated to promote the development of India’s northeast region, according to Mathur. Kolkata and Shanghai have historically maintained strong relations, notably with Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore visiting the city three times between 1913 and 1931. The enhanced connectivity is expected to further encourage people-to-people ties between eastern India and eastern China, focusing on Kolkata and Shanghai.

Flights Resumed After Five-Year Freeze​

India and China resumed flights between cities in October of last year, ending a five-year period of suspended air travel. The resumption followed a border standoff in eastern Ladakh and was subsequently impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The process of normalizing relations involved two summits between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping and subsequent meetings on the sidelines of the SCO summit.

Expanding Connectivity​

Beyond the Shanghai-Kolkata route, IndiGo operates flights from Kolkata to Guangzhou and Delhi to Guangzhou. Chinese airline China Eastern has also resumed flight operations from Shanghai to Delhi. India has also resumed granting tourist visas to Chinese nationals in July.