India on Wednesday signalled openness to direct flights between India and Taiwan, even as Pakistan barred Taiwanese airlines from using its airspace in support of Beijing's One-China policy, forcing carriers to alter their international routes.
Responding to a question about the possibility of direct air services between India and Taiwan, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "My sense is, if there are direct flights, they will fly."
The remarks came amid reports that Pakistan had become the first country to explicitly prohibit Taiwanese commercial airlines from using its airspace on the grounds of adherence to the One-China policy. The restriction has affected flights connecting Taiwan with European destinations, prompting airlines to take alternative routes through Russian airspace.
𝗣𝗮𝗸𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗢𝗻𝗲-𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆
Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confirmed the restriction in an interview with Bloomberg News, saying the country's aviation authorities were following Islamabad's established position on Taiwan.
"The aviation division follows the One China policy — only mainland China is allowed," Asif said, adding that Pakistan had permitted only Chinese airlines to use its airspace.
The decision represents an unusual extension of Pakistan's diplomatic position into commercial aviation. While Islamabad has long recognised Beijing's sovereignty claims over Taiwan, the latest restriction directly affects passenger airlines operating between Asia and Europe.
Reports indicated that the prohibition was more restrictive than China's own aviation arrangements, as Taiwanese carriers are permitted to operate through Chinese airspace.
𝗧𝗮𝗶𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Flight-tracking data showed that Taiwan's two major international carriers, China Airlines and EVA Air, had stopped flying over Pakistan since Sunday, October 25.
At least a dozen flights between Asia and Europe were subsequently routed through Russian airspace, avoiding their earlier flight paths over Pakistan.
On October 24, a China Airlines flight travelling from Taipei to Rome flew through Russia instead of following its previous route through India, Pakistan and Turkmenistan, according to Flightradar24 data.
The changes have increased the distance travelled on some routes, potentially affecting flight duration, fuel consumption and operating costs.
Neither China Airlines nor EVA Air immediately commented on the reported restrictions. Taiwan's Civil Aviation Administration also did not directly address the rerouting, although it maintained that Taiwanese authorities had not prohibited airlines from using Russian airspace.
The duration of Pakistan's restrictions and the details of the formal aviation directive remained unclear.
𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝘄𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀
India's response drew attention because New Delhi maintains economic, technological and cultural relations with Taiwan despite not having formal diplomatic ties with Taipei.
India established representative offices to facilitate bilateral engagement in 1995, and cooperation has expanded across trade, investment, education and technology.
Taiwan has emerged as an important partner in discussions involving semiconductor manufacturing and electronics supply chains, sectors in which India has sought to strengthen domestic capabilities.
Jaiswal's remarks, however, did not amount to an announcement of new direct flight services or confirmation of an agreement with Taiwanese carriers. No airline, launch date or proposed route was specified.
𝗔𝗶𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Pakistan's decision reflects its longstanding diplomatic support for Beijing, which regards Taiwan as part of Chinese territory and opposes moves towards formal Taiwanese independence.
Taiwan, which has its own democratically elected government, rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. The dispute remains a major source of tension in East Asia.
Islamabad has repeatedly reaffirmed its support for the One-China principle in joint statements with Beijing, including during recent high-level diplomatic engagements.
Under international aviation rules, countries exercise sovereignty over their territorial airspace, subject to applicable international agreements and obligations.
The latest restrictions have introduced an additional complication for Taiwanese carriers operating long-haul services, while India's response has drawn attention to the possibility of expanding direct aviation connectivity with Taiwan.
For now, the proposed India-Taiwan services remain a possibility rather than a confirmed arrangement, while the impact of Pakistan's airspace restrictions continues to unfold.