The low-cost carrier, a subsidiary of Air India, said it will begin direct services from Guwahati to Dubai on Aug. 4 and Abu Dhabi on Aug. 7, marking the first time the northeastern city will have nonstop air links to the Gulf region.

The airline said the new routes are expected to boost tourism, trade and cultural exchanges while improving access to international markets for India’s northeastern states.

The launch addresses long-standing connectivity gaps for travelers from eastern and northeastern India, many of whom have traditionally relied on connecting flights through major hubs such as New Delhi to reach destinations in the Gulf.

The expansion comes as Gulf countries remain among the most popular overseas destinations for Indian travelers. Official data show more than 14 million Indian nationals visited Gulf countries in 2024, with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia accounting for the largest share of arrivals.

The Gulf is also home to about 9 million Indian expatriates, making air connectivity a key component of trade, business and labor mobility between the regions.

Air India Express also announced new services from Navi Mumbai International Airport to Abu Dhabi beginning in July, further strengthening its West Asia network.

Indian carriers have been expanding partnerships and capacity to meet rising travel demand. Earlier this month, Riyadh Air and Air India announced a cooperation agreement that could lead to interline and codeshare services, following Air India’s codeshare partnership with Saudia announced in February.

London-based research consultancy Capital Economics has projected that India will become the world’s fourth-largest outbound tourism market by 2035, behind the United States, China and Germany.

Douglas first said the company was in talks with Airbus (AIR.PA) and Boeing (BA.N) to buy a significant number of narrow-body jets in June.

“Probably in the coming months we’ll reveal (the deal). We’re in the final stages of a sizable narrow-body order … and that one might not be our last order either,” he told an event in Lisbon.

He said in June the order would be finalised before next year’s Farnborough event in July in Britain, which could mean a deal could be announced at the Dubai airshow in November this year.

The new airline will take its first deliveries of wide-body jets from Boeing and start operations two years from now in the capital Riyadh.