India seeks Xinjiang air corridor to trim flight time after Pakistan bans its airspace

India is negotiating a new air corridor over China's Xinjiang region to shorten flights after Pakistan closed its airspace following the April 2025 Pahalgam attack. The closure forced Indian airlines on Europe and North America routes to fly south over the Arabian Sea towards Muscat, adding 45 minutes to two hours of extra time and raising fuel costs. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the proposed Hotan corridor in southwestern Xinjiang could cut that distance sharply. He told reporters that talks on the Hotan route are ongoing and that the Ministry of External Affairs is engaging China, though no timetable has been set. If approved, flights from Delhi and Mumbai would climb toward Leh, enter Chinese airspace near Hotan, swing past Kyrgyzstan and join existing tracks to Europe, the UK and North America. A source noted that carriers currently follow the L639 route to avoid Pakistani airspace, which adds about two hours. Another source said the shortcut could bring sizable savings for flights to Georgia, Baku, Central Asia and northern Europe. Air India, which depends heavily on long‑haul western services, has felt the pinch; former CEO Campbell Wilson estimated a loss of roughly ₹4,000 crore due to the ban. Any new corridor will need a bilateral agreement and coordination on air‑traffic management before it can be opened.

Context

Airspace bans force airlines to take longer detours, raising costs and emissions. Using a Chinese corridor is a diplomatic option when neighboring airspace is unavailable. Countries must agree on safety and traffic rules before such routes become operational.