Now Reading: India explores Xinjiang air route to bypass Pakistan ban
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India explores Xinjiang air route to bypass Pakistan ban
The Story in Brief
India is in talks with China to secure access to airspace over Hotan in Xinjiang as an alternative route for Indian airlines, circumventing the continued closure of Pakistani airspace, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on 29 September. The proposed corridor would allow flights from Delhi and Mumbai to head towards Leh, enter Chinese airspace near Hotan, turn west towards Kyrgyzstan, and connect to routes to Europe, the UK and North America, reducing detours that add 45 minutes to two hours of flight time.
The Ministry of External Affairs has been leading the discussions with China for over a year, Naidu said, though no timeline for an agreement was given. Pakistan's airspace has been closed to Indian-registered aircraft since April 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attack, with the latest extension in place until 24 October 2026. The detour has significantly raised fuel costs for Indian carriers, with Air India alone estimating losses of 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.
Sources told ANI and Times Now that the government is also exploring alternative routes via Bhutan, as reported by Business Today. The proposed Xinjiang corridor faces complications as parts of the airspace are controlled by China's military and surrounded by high terrain, requiring coordination on air traffic management and emergency diversions. Air India and IndiGo have conducted feasibility studies for the Hotan route, the Times of India reports. Naidu did not indicate when the route might open.
Update, 1 October 2026: The Times of India reports that Air India and IndiGo have conducted feasibility studies for the Hotan route, and that Air India's Boeing 777s, B787s and A350s can use it. The same outlet adds that the route passes close to the Ladakh frontier and the disputed Aksai Chin region, giving Beijing significant control over Indian aviation access.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Pro-government outlets such as ABP Live and India TV lead with the government's diplomatic push for the Hotan route and frame Pakistan's airspace ban as a consequence of the April 2025 Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. Government-critical framing is absent: no outlet criticises the government's handling of the closure or the slow progress of talks. The Times of India and Livemint add depth by detailing airline financial losses and the strategic and operational complications of the proposed corridor, including military-controlled airspace and terrain challenges. The coverage is broadly uniform in reporting the talks and the ban's impact. The key question is whether India can secure Chinese approval for a route that crosses a sensitive border region and gives Beijing leverage over Indian aviation access, a point the Times of India highlights. Pakistan's next decision on the airspace ban, due on 24 October 2026, will set the timeline for any agreement.
Coverage: 16 sources, 4 pro-government, 12 neutral
Sources (16): ndtvprofit.com (neutral report), timesnownews.com (neutral report), hindustantimes.com (neutral report), livemint.com (neutral report), theweek.in (neutral report), abplive.com (pro government), newindianexpress.com (neutral report), dnaindia.com (neutral report), aninews.in (pro government), skift.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), indiatvnews.com (pro government), thehindubusinessline.com (pro government), businesstoday.in (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (2) (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (3) (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 16 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
