Kuwait’s Jazeera Airways has extended its network to China with the launch of flights to Xi’an and is adding two new routes to India.

Xi’an, the third largest city in western China with a population of more than 12 million inhabitants, becomes the most easterly point on the airline’s route map.

Flights from Kuwait City (KWI) to Xi'an Xianyang International (XIY) started on Sept. 19, initially operating every fortnight, moving to a weekly service “in the near future.” The route includes a technical stop at Bishkek (FRU) in Kyrgyzstan for refueling, using an A320neo aircraft.

“This is a real milestone for Jazeera,” CEO Rohit Ramachandran said. “Commercial ties between Kuwait and China have been growing and we see a positive outlook for developing our network further into the region.”

Jazeera Airways becomes the second carrier to connect Kuwait and China at the present time. Kuwait Airways also operates a nonstop service between Kuwait City and Guangzhou (CAN), flying once a week onboard Boeing 777-300ERs.

In addition to making its China debut, Jazeera Airways also plans to open two new routes to destinations in India, increasing its network to eight points in the South Asia country.

From Oct. 30, Kuwait-Thiruvananthapuram (TRV) will be served on Tuesdays and Sundays, with return flights from Trivandrum leaving in the early morning the following day. Thiruvananthapuram is the capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala, often used as a gateway to nearby beach resorts.

A second new route will begin on Nov. 3, connecting Kuwait and Bengaluru (BLR). Two nonstop flights per week will be provided, departing on Thursdays and Sundays, with return flights from Bengaluru leaving in the early morning of the next day.

Bengaluru is the capital of India’s southern Karnataka state and often considered the centre of the country’s high-tech industry.

Ramachandran said the growth has been fueled by high demand from the expat and business communities in Kuwait, as well as from other connecting GCC countries.

OAG Schedules Analyser data shows that Jazeera Airways currently offers 9,948 two-way weekly seats between Kuwait and India, flying daily to Mumbai (BOM); 6X-weekly to Hyderabad (HYD); 5X-weekly to Chennai (MAA); 4X-weekly to Delhi (DEL) and Cochin (COK); and 3X-weekly to Ahmedabad (AMD).

The LCC will face competition on both new routes to India from Kuwait Airways, which serves both Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram four times per week using A320neos.