China Southern Airlines Resumes Guangzhou-Delhi Flights Ahead of Modi-Xi Meet
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
China Southern Airlines has announced the resumption of its direct passenger service between Guangzhou and New Delhi from September 21, bringing an end to a six-year suspension.
The announcement reportedly arrived just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping were set to hold bilateral talks on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi. President Xi landed in the Indian capital on Saturday morning for the two-day summit taking place on September 12-13.
With the Guangzhou-Delhi route back on its schedule, China Southern Airlines reportedly confirmed it will operate over 100 weekly flights across eight round-trip routes in the South Asian region.
Gradual Thaw in Direct Air Connectivity
Direct flights between India and China have been making a steady comeback this year following a prolonged hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and political tensions stemming from the Doklam and Galwan standoffs.
The revival of air corridors gained momentum early in 2026, backed by confirmation from India’s Ministry of External Affairs that both nations were actively working to restore direct flight services.
- Air India: Restored its New Delhi-China routes in February 2026.
- IndiGo: Restarted daily non-stop flights between Kolkata and Shanghai on March 30, adding to its expanded network that includes restored Kolkata-Guangzhou links and flights out of Delhi.
- China Eastern Airlines: Restored operations on the Kunming-Kolkata route on April 18.
- Air China: Reconnected Beijing and Delhi with direct services in April.
Broader Context: 18th BRICS Summit
The restoration of flights coincides with India hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, bringing together dynamic economies from across the Global South.
Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, BRICS expanded in 2024 to admit Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Indonesia joined the bloc in 2025.
The summit also includes several partner countries that reportedly joined the grouping last year, such as Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
