After two years, India is looking to resume international flights starting March 27, the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Tuesday.
Commercial international flights will resume operations after a two-year hiatus in strict compliance with the Union Health Ministry’s guidelines.
The decision was taken after considering COVID-19 vaccination levels across the world in consultation with various stakeholders, the MoCA said.
India had suspended international air travel on March 23, 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic had first taken hold in the country.
The suspension was repeatedly extended over the past two years as India faced three waves of COVID-19 infections.
Ever since then, India has lifted some restrictions and has allowed international travel on select routes through air bubble arrangements with 37 countries.
India has air transport bubbles with Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, US and Uzbekistan.
Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted, “After deliberation with stakeholders and keeping in view the decline in the COVID-19 caseload, we have decided to resume international travel from March 27 onwards. Air bubble arrangements will also stand revoked thereafter. With this step, I am confident the sector will reach new heights!”
In November 2021, the MoCA had announced plans to resume regular international flight operations from December 15, 2021. However, at the time, the Omicron variant of coronavirus had emerged and in January, India faced its third wave of COVID-19.
News credit: Various news source