Global Gateway: Guwahati to Launch Direct Flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi from August

Guwahati: In a monumental boost to Northeast India's international connectivity, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has announced that Air India will launch direct, non-stop flights from Guwahati to Dubai and Abu Dhabi starting 4 August 2026.

This expansion at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) will widen the state's direct international flight network to encompass four nations, adding the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to existing routes serving Thailand, Singapore, and Bhutan.

The Chief Minister highlighted that the new services mark a vital step forward in establishing Guwahati as a premier travel and transit hub for Southeast Asia, with future plans already underway to target direct routes to Vietnam.

This aviation breakthrough aligns with significant diplomatic milestones for the region, as European Union (EU) member states recently updated their official travel advisories to remove long-standing restrictive warnings for foreign nationals visiting Assam.

This positive shift follows similar rollbacks by Australia and Japan, reflecting a growing global confidence in the state's peaceful environment and robust safety metrics.

Chief Minister Sarma described the combination of relaxed international travel advisories and the new West Asian flight routes as a massive vote of confidence in Assam’s economic potential.

The upcoming non-stop services are expected to significantly ease travel for the regional diaspora while providing a major fillip to international tourism, business investments, and trade across the Northeast.

Also Read: Chasing Footprints Across the Ocean: The Global Networks That Built the Cape Verde and Curaçao Football Teams