India Seeks Strategic ‘Pakistan Bypass’ via China to Save Long-Haul Aviation
NEW DELHI: Confronted with the recurring challenge of closed flight corridors over Pakistan, India is actively negotiating with Chinese authorities to secure access to the “Hotan waypoint” in Xinjiang. The move aims to establish a reliable, permanent bypass for Indian carriers, effectively mitigating the financial and operational strain caused by the latest airspace closures that began in April 2025.
For years, the closure of Pakistani skies has forced Indian airlines to take circuitous, fuel-heavy detours for flights heading toward Europe and North America. With global oil prices remaining volatile and international passenger demand growing at an annual rate of 5%, the economic viability of these routes has been severely compromised. Air India alone has reported staggering losses of approximately Rs 4,000 crore in a single year due to these disruptions.
Diplomatic Push for the Hotan Route
During the recent Routes Asia 2027 summit, Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu confirmed that diplomatic channels are currently active. “We are exploring alternate airspaces and the Hotan corridor is under serious discussion,” Naidu stated. “We are pushing strongly for this access to ensure that our carriers can maintain efficient, cost-effective operations to the West.”
The plan involves utilizing a specific waypoint over Hotan, a strategy that has been under rigorous feasibility testing by both Air India and IndiGo for several months. While Air India’s current long-haul fleet—including Boeing 777s, 787s, and Airbus A350s—is capable of navigating this corridor, IndiGo is preparing to integrate this route into its operations as it expands its own A350 fleet.
Technical Feasibility and Safety Protocols
Navigating the high-altitude terrain of the region, particularly over the Hindu Kush mountains, presents complex safety requirements. When an aircraft takes off from Delhi for a non-stop long-haul flight, it carries a significant fuel load. In the event of a single-engine failure or a sudden cabin depressurization, the plane must be capable of a “step descent” to safer altitudes.
To address these concerns, Air India has meticulously engineered safety protocols. Certain wide-body aircraft have been retrofitted with additional oxygen storage to accommodate the time required to descend from the 30,000-foot minimum altitude required for the Hindu Kush passage to lower, safer flight levels. Through extensive simulator testing—which took months of calibration—the airline has ensured that its fleet, including the heavier Boeing 777s, can safely clear the region’s peaks, such as the 25,289-foot Terich Mir.
Diversifying Connectivity
Beyond the immediate bypass efforts, the Civil Aviation Ministry is encouraging domestic carriers to decentralize their international operations. Minister Naidu emphasized that airlines should look to launch more international flights from Southern India. By shifting some of the pressure away from Delhi—which is disproportionately impacted by the western airspace closures—the government hopes to create a more resilient aviation network.
This is not the first time the industry has had to navigate geopolitical headwinds. In 2021, following the political shift in Afghanistan, Air India successfully pioneered a new route over the Hindu Kush when traditional paths became unusable. As India looks toward the future, the successful implementation of the Hotan waypoint would represent a significant milestone in ensuring that the nation’s aviation sector remains competitive on the global stage, independent of the volatile airspace policies of its immediate neighbors.
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