Air India Resumes Direct Flights to Tel Aviv Amid Ongoing Regional Developments
January 26, 2025
12:37 PM
Reading time: 4 minutes

Air India has announced that it will resume operations on the Tel Aviv-Delhi route starting March 2, 2025. After more than six months of suspended direct flights to India, this announcement comes as a significant development in the region’s aviation industry. The Indian national airline will operate five weekly flights on the route, making it the only airline to offer direct flights between Israel and India.
Air India suspended its flights to Israel after the outbreak of conflict in October 2023, with operations being further disrupted by subsequent attacks and escalating tensions in the region. However, the airline resumed flights relatively quickly in March 2024, only to halt them again after the Iranian attack on Israel in April. In August, the conflict with Hezbollah led to another suspension. The airline’s return to Ben-Gurion Airport marks a major step in the resumption of international flights to and from Israel after months of disruption.
Delhi, Air India's hub, serves as a key connection point for passengers traveling to East Asia, adding significance to the return of direct flights between the two nations. Air India’s decision comes as other major airlines, including Lufthansa Group, Air France, British Airways, easyJet, and Ryanair, have also announced their return to Israel after the war.
Israeli Airlines and Post-War Resumption
Other airlines, such as El Al and Arkia, had initially planned to resume flights to Israel, including direct routes to Mumbai and Sri Lanka, before the conflict disrupted these plans. While international airlines are gradually returning to Israel, Air India stands out as the first to resume long-haul flights. However, no official announcements have been made regarding the resumption of services by US airlines or Air Canada.
Shekel's Performance Amid Ceasefire
In addition to developments in the aviation sector, the Israeli shekel has shown fluctuations in its value against foreign currencies. On Friday, the shekel weakened slightly against the US dollar after reaching its strongest value in two years. The Bank of Israel’s actions, including interest rate decisions, and the overall regional stability influenced by recent ceasefire agreements have contributed to the strengthening of the shekel in the past few weeks.
Bank of America analysts have forecast that the shekel could continue to strengthen if the ceasefire agreements hold, potentially leading to an earlier-than-expected interest rate cut by the Bank of Israel. The shekel also remained firm against the euro, signaling cautious optimism in the Israeli economy despite ongoing uncertainties.