Lufthansa is expanding its flight operations between India and Germany following Germany's decision to eliminate the airport transit visa requirement for Indian nationals, effective June 3, 2026. The German Embassy in New Delhi announced that Indian passport holders no longer need a separate Schengen airport transit visa when passing through German airports, including Frankfurt and Munich, for connecting international flights to destinations outside the Schengen area.

This policy change, announced in Germany's Federal Law Gazette on June 2, 2026, removes a longstanding administrative hurdle for one of the fastest-growing international travel markets. Indian travelers transiting through German hubs must remain within the airport transit area and fly onward to a non-Schengen country within 24 hours to qualify for the visa exemption. The move simplifies connections for students, professionals, and NRIs traveling between India and Europe, North America, and beyond.

Lufthansa Group welcomed the policy change as a significant step toward smoother connectivity between India and the rest of the world. The airline is now boosting India connectivity by increasing flight frequencies on India-Germany routes and expanding connections via Frankfurt and Munich. The visa waiver is anticipated to boost India-Germany passenger flows by double digits and save Indian travelers millions of rupees annually in visa costs and paperwork. India's Ministry of External Affairs welcomed the move as a boost to people-to-people connections. This decision follows talks between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reflecting Berlin's commitment to strengthening ties with India and facilitating the movement of people between the two countries.