Air India has relaunched direct non-stop flights between New Delhi and Shanghai, restoring a key aviation link between India and China after a suspension of nearly six years. The inaugural flight from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to New Delhi departed earlier today, carrying more than 230 passengers on a Boeing 787 aircraft.
The service, which had been halted since early 2020, marks a significant step in rebuilding bilateral connectivity amid improving relations between the two Asian giants. From the Indian side, Air India flight AI352 took off from Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi at 1207 hrs IST, reconnecting the capital with one of Asia’s leading business and cultural centres.
The airline will operate the route four times a week using its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, equipped with modernised cabins and enhanced onboard services. The relaunch reflects rising demand for travel between the two countries, driven by business, tourism, education, and family visits.
Consul General Pratik Mathur of the Indian Consulate in Shanghai welcomed the development. “The resumption of direct flights between Shanghai and New Delhi is a tangible expression of the renewed momentum in India–China engagement,” he said. “Enhanced air connectivity is essential for facilitating trade, tourism, academic exchanges and people-to-people contacts, particularly between India and East China. We are pleased to see Air India restoring this important link.”
The route is expected to bolster ties with the economically vibrant Yangtze River Delta region, supporting commercial, educational, and cultural exchanges. In a statement, Air India highlighted the service’s role in meeting growing passenger needs. “This 4x weekly service, operated with a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, restores Air India’s direct access to mainland China and supports growing demand from business travellers, families, and tourists,” the airline said.
Plans for additional services, including potential Mumbai-Shanghai flights later in 2026, subject to approvals, have also been indicated. The move follows other recent developments in India-China aviation, including IndiGo’s restart of Kolkata-Guangzhou flights.
The relaunch is viewed as a positive signal for cross-border mobility and economic ties, coming at a time when both nations seek to normalise people-to-people and institutional exchanges after years of strained relations and pandemic-related disruptions.
