China Eastern Airlines is set to resume its direct flight services between Shanghai and Delhi from November 9, 2025, ending a more than five-year hiatus in direct air connectivity between China and India. This resumption follows diplomatic thawing and is a significant step in normalizing bilateral ties between the two Asian giants.
The flights will operate thrice weekly, on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, using Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft. The outbound flight MU563 will depart Shanghai Pudong International Airport at 12:50 PM, landing at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport at 5:45 PM local time. The return flight MU564 will depart Delhi at 7:55 PM, reaching Shanghai Pudong Airport at 4:10 AM the following day. Ticket bookings for the route are already open.
The restoration of this route is expected to boost business, academic, and tourism exchanges by enhancing air connectivity—a crucial factor for people-to-people contact and growing economic cooperation. The resumption comes after technical-level talks between civil aviation authorities of both countries and is aligned with the upcoming winter flight schedule, pending final regulatory approvals. It reflects a broader diplomatic outreach, including reopening pilgrimage routes and visa channels suspended during past tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic.
India’s largest domestic carrier, IndiGo Airlines, is also set to restart daily direct flights between Kolkata and Guangzhou and from Delhi to Guangzhou in November, signaling increasing aviation ties between the two countries.
This renewed air connectivity marks a pivotal moment for travelers and businesses, reducing the need for indirect travel routes, thereby saving time and cost. The Shanghai-Delhi route is strategically significant, supporting stronger trade relations amid changing global economic dynamics.
In summary, China Eastern Airlines’ resumption of direct flights from Shanghai to Delhi on November 9, 2025, symbolizes a fresh chapter in India-China bilateral relations with enhanced connectivity facilitating deeper economic, cultural, and diplomatic engagement.
This update targets travelers, business communities, and stakeholders in bilateral trade and tourism, providing essential information on schedules, aircraft types, and booking availability to plan travel conveniently and capitalize on renewed opportunities. It also underscores the geopolitical significance and economic promise this route restoration holds for both nations.
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