The revival of a direct air link between Kolkata, India, and Siem Reap early next month is set to give a significant lift to tourism and bilateral trade between Cambodia and India, according to State Secretariat of Civil Aviation (SSCA) spokesman Sinn Chansereyvutha.

The SSCA confirmed that Indian carrier IndiGo will bring back its direct service between Kolkata (CCU) and Siem Reap (SAI) starting October 1, 2026. The airline plans three weekly flights on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays, operated with Airbus A320neo aircraft.

Chansereyvutha called the return of the route an encouraging development for deeper cooperation between the two nations.

In comments made on September 23, he noted that the connection first opened in November 2025 but was later paused because of seasonal conditions. He expects its comeback to give strong momentum to important areas such as tourism, pilgrimage travel and commerce between Cambodia and India.

"This represents a major commercial synergy for both countries, since the route will open the door to joint tourism campaigns, appealing travel packages and greater connectivity between Cambodia and India," he said.

He added that Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI) is fully ready to receive IndiGo once again and to deliver safe, efficient and dependable operations.

Cambodia's national carrier, Air Cambodia, currently flies direct between Phnom Penh and New Delhi.

India a Key Growth Market for Cambodian Tourism

Thoun Sinan, president of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Cambodia Chapter, pointed out that India ranks as the world's second-largest source of outbound tourists after China. For that reason, he said, IndiGo's returning flights should deliver meaningful gains for Cambodia's tourism and trade sectors.

Figures from the Ministry of Tourism show that Cambodia welcomed 71,046 Indian visitors in 2025, an 8.5 per cent drop from 2024. In the first eight months of this year, arrivals from India reached 35,905, down 19.2 per cent compared with the same stretch a year earlier.

As of August 2026, four domestic carriers and 29 international airlines were operating in the Kingdom, the SSCA reported.