India is exploring an alternative air route over China’s Xinjiang to reduce the impact of the continued closure of Pakistani airspace, civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu said on Tuesday.
“We are looking at other alternatives. Discussion on the Hotan route is going on between the two countries. Our external affairs ministry (MEA) is engaging with their country..let us see how it goes, but we are trying alternatives..
Naidu said the proposed corridor over Hotan in southwestern Xinjiang would offer a significantly shorter route. “All Indian carriers from the north and north west are following the L639 route to avoid the Pakistan airspace…. which increases their flying time by 2 hours,” a person familiar with the matter said. “The route may lead to significant savings for destinations like Georgia, Baku, Central Asia, and northern Europe,” a second person said.
Naidu told reporters on Tuesday.
