Published : 12 Sep 2026, 07:02 PM
Updated : 16 Sep 2026, 11:49 AM
China Southern Airlines will resume daily direct flights between Guangzhou and New Delhi from Sept 21, restoring its India service after a six-year suspension.
The airline said on Saturday that the route would be operated with Boeing 737 aircraft, making it the third major Chinese carrier to restart passenger services between China and India after China Eastern Airlines and Air China, the Global Times reports.
Flight CZ359 will leave Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport at 3:35pm local time and arrive at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi at 7pm.
The return flight, CZ360, will depart New Delhi at 8:20pm and arrive in Guangzhou at 4:15am the following day.
China Southern said the resumed service would make travel easier for tourists and students and support trade between the two countries.
The move comes as China and India gradually restore direct air links amid improving bilateral relations.
Air China resumed its Beijing-New Delhi service on Apr 21, marking the first restart of direct flights between the two capitals in nearly six years. The route operates three times a week.
China Eastern resumed direct flights between Kunming and Kolkata on Apr 18. The airline had earlier restored its Shanghai-New Delhi service in November 2025.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said on Mar 23 that Beijing and New Delhi remained in communication over efforts to promote cooperation and people-to-people exchanges.
Qian Feng, director of the Research Department at Tsinghua University’s National Strategy Institute, said the return of routes by the three major Chinese carriers reflected a gradual improvement in bilateral relations.
He told the Global Times on Saturday that stronger people-to-people and cultural exchanges were an important sign of that improvement and could help strengthen the foundations of bilateral ties.
Qian said greater movement between the two countries could also build mutual trust and goodwill.
Air India is also expected to expand non-stop Delhi-Shanghai services in September, according to the Global Times.
IndiGo launched daily non-stop Kolkata-Shanghai flights on Mar 29 after previously restoring its Kolkata-Guangzhou service and launching a Delhi-Guangzhou route.
