China Southern Airlines announces it will resume regular passenger flights on the Guangzhou–New Delhi route starting September 21, ending a six-year suspension. The restart is timed ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India for the BRICS summit, where Xi is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The outlets describe the broader reopening of direct air links between India and China following earlier disruptions. Several reports note that services were suspended around 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later remained disrupted amid strains after border incidents including Doklam and Galwan. They also point to a gradual revival of routes by multiple airlines, including China Eastern and Air China, alongside continuing expansions by Indian carriers.
Different articles emphasize different details. Some focus on the political timing around BRICS, while others highlight operational aspects such as the number of routes and weekly flights China Southern expects after the relaunch. One outlet also provides scheduled departure and arrival times and aircraft information, and notes China Southern is one of the larger Chinese carriers returning to the India market. Across coverage, the common theme is increased direct connectivity for travelers, which is expected to support trade, tourism, and people-to-people contact.
