# India in talks with China for Xinjiang air route for airlines

2026-09-29T12:46:58+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 5 independent outlets

India is exploring an alternative air route over China's Xinjiang region to bypass the continued closure of Pakistani airspace, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on Tuesday. The proposed corridor near Hotan city in southwestern Xinjiang would allow Indian airlines flying to Europe and North America to avoid detours that add 45 minutes to two hours of flight time. The Ministry of External Affairs is leading the diplomatic discussions with China, which have been underway for over a year, Naidu said. Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian-registered aircraft in April 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attack and has extended the ban until October 24, 2026. The detour has significantly increased fuel costs and operational expenses for Indian carriers. Air India's former CEO Campbell Wilson estimated the airline lost Rs 4,000 crore due to the closure. Air India reported a standalone net loss of Rs 15,368 crore for FY26, while IndiGo reported a net loss of Rs 2,394 crore. Naidu did not indicate when the Xinjiang route might open.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All five sources report the same facts: India is pursuing a Xinjiang air route, talks with China are ongoing, and Pakistan's airspace ban is the cause. NDTV Profit and Times Now lead with the talks and the Pakistan ban extension, framing it as a bilateral negotiation update. Hindustan Times and Livemint add cost context, quoting the minister and airline losses. Livemint provides the most detailed operational and financial impact, including Air India and IndiGo losses. The Week source is inaccessible. The balanced reading is that the Hotan route is a diplomatic initiative to mitigate a costly airspace closure, with no agreement yet. The next concrete step is the October 2026 expiration of the Pakistan NOTAM, though extensions remain possible.

## Coverage

- ndtvprofit.com (neutral report) <https://www.ndtvprofit.com/india/indian-govt-exploring-alternate-air-route-in-talks-with-china-for-airspace-over-xinjiang-12113594#publisher=newsstand>
  Straight reporting of talks and Pakistan ban extension.
- timesnownews.com (neutral report) <https://www.timesnownews.com/india/india-explores-alternative-flight-route-via-china-amid-pakistan-airspace-restrictions-article-156246353>
  Factual report on talks, includes Pakistan ban extension.
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-pursues-xinjiang-air-route-with-china-to-mitigate-pak-airspace-bannaidu-101790684427017.html>
  Report on minister's statement with airline cost context.
- livemint.com (neutral report) <https://www.livemint.com/industry/india-airlines-air-india-indigo-pakistan-airspace-ban-china-hotan-corridor-11790673462988.html>
  Detailed financial impact and operational analysis.
- theweek.in (neutral report) <https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2026/09/29/india-xinjiang-air-route-pakistan-airspace-ban-iran-closure.html>
  Inaccessible, no text to judge.

Tags: Air India, Hotan, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Ministry of External Affairs, Pakistan airspace ban, Xinjiang
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