More than 10,98,000 Indians stranded abroad in foreign countries due to the pandemic have returned to India under the Vande Bharat Mission so far, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said on Tuesday
On Twitter Aviation ministry said over 10,98,000 stranded Indians have been repatriated.
The Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also informed that India is in negotiations with 13 countries including Australia, Italy and Japan to determine bilateral bubble arrangements for flight operations.
The ‘air bubbles’ arrangement helps airlines of the 2 countries to work international flights with certain restrictions.
Such ‘air bubbles’ arrangements are made with the US, UK, France, Germany, UAE, Qatar, and therefore the Maldives while negotiations are underway with Australia, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Nigeria, Bahrain, Israel, Kenya, Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.
Puri said ongoing negotiations will benefit stranded Indians and nationals of those countries, adding that air bubbles have also been proposed with our neighbours Sri Lanka , Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal and Bhutan.
“We still further strengthen the reach & scope of VBM (Vande Bharat Mission). aviation arrangements are already in situ with the USA, UK, France, Germany, UAE, Qatar and Maldives. We are now taking these efforts forward and are negotiating with 13 more countries to determine such arrangements,” Puri tweeted.
Puri informed that the govt will consider arrangements with other countries too and guaranteed that no Indian are going to be left behind