India seeks Hotan route with China after Pakistan airspace closure
Since Pakistan shut its airspace in April 2025, Indian flights to Europe and North America have had to take much longer routes, costing airlines extra time and money.
Now, India is talking with China about using a new path through the Hotan region in Xinjiang, which could offer some cost savings and shorter flight times on these journeys.
Air India reports ₹15,368cr FY26 loss
Longer detours have hit Indian airlines hard: Air India reported a standalone net loss of ₹15,368 crore in FY26, and IndiGo also took a big financial hit.
While the Hotan route could ease some of these costs by saving fuel and time, it's still not as smooth as flying over Pakistan used to be.
Talks with China are ongoing, so for now, airlines are juggling options to keep things running, and hopefully make travel a bit easier soon.