第一财经网·2025-10-27 00:37Group 1: Restoration of Direct Flights - The direct flight between Kolkata, India, and Guangzhou, China, has resumed after a five-year hiatus, significantly reducing travel time to just over three hours [1][3] - Indigo Airlines, the largest airline in India by market share, operates the inaugural flight, marking a positive step in improving India-China relations [1][3] - The restoration of direct flights is seen as a response to the economic benefits experienced by Indian businesses in their trade with China [1][4] Group 2: Economic Implications - The direct flight will enhance trade activities by reducing logistics and transit times, benefiting commercial exchanges [4] - Prior to the pandemic, there were over 500 direct flights monthly between India and China, indicating a strong pre-existing travel and trade relationship [5] - The resumption of direct flights is expected to further boost India-China economic cooperation, with China remaining India's largest trading partner [6] Group 3: Future Developments - Indigo Airlines plans to launch a second direct route from Delhi to Guangzhou starting November 10, 2025, indicating a rapid expansion of connectivity [5] - China Eastern Airlines will also begin flights from Shanghai to Delhi, increasing the number of direct routes between the two countries to three [5] - The Indian government has resumed accepting tourist visa applications from Chinese citizens, which is anticipated to further enhance bilateral exchanges [5]