India to send aircraft, naval ships to evacuate its citizens stranded abroad

NEW DELHI: In a big relief to thousands of Indians stranded abroad, the Indian government has decided to arrange aircraft and naval ships to bring them back.

Indian Embassies and High Commissions across the world are preparing lists of distressed Indian citizens and evacuation would start in a phased manner from May 7.

The state governments are being advised to make arrangements, including for testing, quarantine, and onward movement of the returning Indians.

However, the facility is being extended to those Indians only those who have compelling reasons to return to India, and they will also have to bear the travel expense besides following the health the protocols. Only the asymptomatic passengers would be allowed to board the aircraft and ships.

Thousands of Indians were stranded in countries like Japan, Korea, USA, UK, and the Middle East after the Indian government on March 24 had announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown (effective from March 25) in India to check the spread of COVID-19 outbreak. Following this, the Indian government had also imposed travel restrictions and canceled operations of scheduled domestic and international passenger flights.

However, countries like Japan, Korea, France, UK, and others were allowed to send their chartered flights to India to evacuate their citizens. Even Air India operated special flights to evacuate foreigners from India.

A Ministry of Home Affairs communiqué released on Sunday evening read, “Government of India will be facilitating the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in a phased manner. The travel would be arranged by aircraft and naval ships. The Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) has been prepared in this regard.”

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Non-scheduled commercial flights would be arranged for air travel. The travel would begin in a phased manner from May 7.

The government has clarified that the medical screening of passengers would be done before taking the flight. Only asymptomatic passengers would be allowed to travel. During the journey, all these passengers would have to follow the protocols, such as the Health Protocols, issued by the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

On reaching the destination, everyone would have to register on the Aarogya Setu app. Everyone would be medically screened. After scrutiny, they would be quarantined for 14 days, either in a hospital or in an institutional quarantine on payment-basis, by the concerned State government. COVID test would be done after 14 days and further action would be taken according to health protocols.

The Ministries of External Affairs and Civil Aviation would soon share detailed information about it through their websites.

Also read: Lockdown, the ideal time to evacuate Indians stuck abroad