[MAN's (and LBA's) links with the subcontinent are with Pakistan not India, so there's not enough O&D for a MAN-DEL route. What little there is would be very low yield VFR and that travels with EK. There was never a question of a MAN-DEL route. A business/commercial MAN-BOM route might just possibly be a different matter, but don't hold your breath.
Going off
The Delhi route shop, there are 54000 O+D passengers on the route. The
Manchester Evening News quotes airport bosses thus:
"They estimate that of the four million people from within it who fly from London, 100,000 go to Hong Kong, as well as 60,000 to Beijing, 113,000 to Bangkok, 50,000 to Delhi and 70,000 to Mumbai.".
It's the reticence of airlines to even THINK of not having to serve London to meet the UK market that hinders regional UK growth. It appears that having a non-stop CX service at MAN has not held back any operator offering connecting service there from either MAN or LHR.
Of the 5 destinations quoted in the article:
Hong Kong - on course for that
Beijing - to be announced Friday per hints in the FT
Bangkok - would probably need a low-cost long-haul operator as Thai isn't really in a fit position with appropriate aircraft to launch such a route
But combined 120,000 for Mumbai-Delhi? 328 passengers per day. Seems a very good starting point for a service knowing that launching a route normally stimulates more demand.
It's the reticence of airlines to even THINK of not having to serve London to meet the UK market that hinders regional UK growth. It appears that having a non-stop CX service at MAN has not held back any operator offering connecting service there from either MAN or LHR.