India-Mongolia direct flights begin, cut New Delhi-Ulaanbaatar travel to five hours

Direct, non-stop air connectivity between India and Mongolia began on Monday with the launch of a regular service connecting New Delhi and Ulaanbaatar, significantly reducing travel time between the two capitals to around five hours.

New Delhi [India], September 28 (AN): Direct, non-stop air connectivity between India and Mongolia began on Monday with the launch of a regular service connecting New Delhi and Ulaanbaatar, significantly reducing travel time between the two capitals to around five hours. The inaugural flight from Ulaanbaatar arrived at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport at 7:20 am on Monday, while the first return flight departed New Delhi at 4:37 pm.

According to a release, the service, operated by Mongolia's Hunnu Air, will run every Monday, providing passengers with a direct alternative to journeys that previously required transit through hubs such as Beijing or Incheon. Such connecting journeys could take about 13 to 18 hours.

The new route is expected to facilitate travel between India and Mongolia for tourism, medical travel and business, while also strengthening people-to-people ties between the two countries. For Mongolia, the direct connection is expected to make travel to India's Buddhist heritage sites more convenient. Indian travellers, meanwhile, will have easier access to Mongolia's landscapes, historical sites and winter tourism destinations.

The new air link could also support bilateral trade by enabling faster, potentially more economical movement of cargo between the two countries. The launch fulfils an announcement made during Mongolian President U Khurelsukh's State Visit to India in October 2025. The direct service was announced at a joint press conference held by Khurelsukh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi.

India's Ambassador to Mongolia Atul Malhari Gotsurve and Hunnu Air CEO Munkhjargal worked with relevant stakeholders to operationalise the flight. The Embassy of India in Ulaanbaatar said the new route would further strengthen the multifaceted strategic partnership between India and Mongolia.

It also thanked India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Mongolia's Ministry of Road and Transport for their support in establishing the connection. India and Mongolia already provide visa-free travel for each other's nationals, while an e-visa facility is also available, further facilitating travel between the two countries. (ANI)