India and Vietnam have announced a significant expansion of their bilateral air travel capacity, more than doubling the current limit to over 16,000 seats per week. This increase is effective immediately and reflects the growing demand for travel between the two countries. Under existing bilateral air service agreements, governments allocate flying rights to airlines, which limit the number of flights and seats each carrier can operate.
Currently, Indian airlines such as IndiGo and Air India operate 30 flights weekly to Vietnam, while Vietnamese carriers operate 48 flights. The expanded capacity is expected to enable airlines including Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet Air to increase flights between key cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata. Vietnam's Sun PhuQuoc Airlines is also planning to launch services to Mumbai.
Nguyen Trung Hieu, India country manager at Vietnam Airlines, stated, "Vietnam is a hot selling destination from India, driven by an increase in flight connectivity. Vietnam Airlines with its A350 aircraft is the first full service carrier on the route, which will appeal to premium travelers."
This marks the second increase in bilateral seat quotas since 2024, supporting the rising demand for travel and the easing of visa restrictions for Indian travelers to Southeast Asia. The move highlights the strengthening of economic and tourism ties between India and Vietnam, facilitated by enhanced aviation links.
