Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said India and China are discussing the possibility of allowing Indian airlines to use the Hotan route. However, no deal has been finalised yet.
Why does India need an alternative route?
Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian aircraft in April 2025 following the Pahalgam terror attack, with the latest restriction till October 24. India later imposed similar restrictions on Pakistani aircraft. Since then, Indian airlines flying from cities such as Delhi and Mumbai towards Europe and North America have had to avoid Pakistan.
Indian flights have to take a longer route. They usually fly south over the Arabian Sea, move towards Oman and then head towards Europe. This adds more flying time around 45 minutes to two hours, depending on the destination. This also leads to an increase in fuel costs for airlines.
An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Istanbul takes about 8 hours 39 minutes, while a Turkish Airlines flight on the same route takes around 6 hours 45 minutes. Air India has earlier estimated that the Pakistan airspace closure was costing it around ₹4,000 crore a year.
What is the Hotan route?
Hotan is a city in China’s Xinjiang region, close to the India-China border. If China allows Indian airlines to fly through Xinjiang, planes could take a shorter route towards Europe and other western destinations instead of making the longer journey around Pakistan.
A shorter route could mean less flying time, lower fuel use and lower operating costs for airlines.
Why does India wait for permission for the Hotan route?
A country controls the airspace above its territory. Indian airlines cannot simply enter Chinese airspace without approval from Beijing. India and China would first have to agree on the route and decide how flights would be managed.
There are also safety issues. The Hotan region has very high mountains. If a plane has an emergency, pilots need to be able to safely bring the aircraft down. The area around Hotan has fewer airports that can be used for such emergencies compared with busy international routes.
India and China would therefore need to decide where Indian aircraft could land if something goes wrong. They would also have to work out how Chinese air traffic controllers would guide the aircraft.
The area is also strategically sensitive and has a strong military presence as the proposed route is close to a disputed area between India and China. Hotan is in Xinjiang, while the area between Ladakh and Hotan includes Aksai Chin, which is controlled by China but claimed by India.
Why is India discussing this with China now
India has been looking for alternatives because the Pakistan airspace ban has continued for more than a year. At the same time, India-China air connectivity has started improving after several years of disruption.
Direct flights between India and China resumed in late 2025 after a gap of more than five years.
The government has only confirmed that discussions are taking place. There is no final agreement or date for when Indian airlines can start using the route. For now, Indian flights will continue to take longer routes around Pakistan.
