NEW DELHI (VNA). Vietnam Airlines launched a direct route between Hanoi and Ahmedabad, a major economic and cultural centre in India's Gujarat state, on November 3.
The inaugural flight departed from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad for Hanoi. The route will operate four round-trip flights per week.
This is Vietnam Airlines' seventh route to India, connecting Vietnam with five major cities in the South Asian country. The new service is expected to support aviation cooperation, trade and tourism between the two nations.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to India Trinh Minh Manh said the direct route was an important milestone in strengthening connectivity between the two countries. He said expanded air links would promote tourism, trade, business activity and people-to-people exchanges, as well as the further development of the Vietnam-India Enhanced Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Nguyen Trung Hieu, Vietnam Airlines' Director in India, said the new route reflected the carrier's aim of bringing Vietnam closer to Indian travellers and making it easier for them to visit Hanoi and other destinations across Vietnam.
He said Gujarat has considerable potential for resort tourism, trade and MICE tourism, covering meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. Ahmedabad, he added, could become a promising new destination.
Abhishek Goyal, CEO and Executive Director of Aeroprime Group, said he hoped the route would increase two-way tourist flows and improve air connectivity.
The launch comes amid growing travel and trade demand between the two countries. Vietnam welcomed more than 670,000 Indian visitors in the first nine months of 2026, a 33% year-on-year increase, making India its eighth-largest source market for international visitors.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
