India is pursuing talks with China to open a potential air corridor over the Hotan region in Xinjiang province, seeking to mitigate the impact of Pakistan’s prolonged airspace restrictions on Indian airlines.
The Pakistani closure, first imposed in April 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack and repeatedly extended, currently runs until October 24, 2026. Indian carriers have been forced onto longer routes, often detouring over the Arabian Sea, which has increased flight times by 45 minutes to two hours on many services to Europe and North America and raised fuel and operational costs substantially.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated on September 29 that diplomatic-level discussions are underway with China on the Hotan route, with the Ministry of External Affairs leading the engagement. The talks have been ongoing for more than a year. Air India and IndiGo have conducted feasibility studies on the proposed corridor, which could allow certain wide-body aircraft to route northward toward Leh, enter Chinese airspace near Hotan, and proceed westward via Central Asia.
Air India has highlighted significant financial losses from the current restrictions, with estimates of around Rs 4,000 crore in one year or up to $600 million annually. The proposed alternative would require bilateral agreements, air traffic coordination, and clearances, particularly given military control over parts of the Xinjiang airspace.
The discussions occur against a backdrop of gradually improving India-China relations following earlier tensions. No agreement has been reached, and it remains unclear which aircraft or routes might ultimately be permitted to use any new corridor.
