Centre extends ban on international commercial flights to and from India till February 28

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation on Thursday extended the suspension of international scheduled commercial passenger flights to and from India till February 28, 2021. As per the order issued by the body, this restriction will not be applicable to international cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the DGCA. Moreover, international flights could also be allowed by the competent authority on selected routes on a case-to-case basis. 

Read: Centre Extends Restrictions On Flights Between India-UK As New Variant Cases Touch 150

While international flights have been suspended since March 22, 2020, India has operated flights largely via Air Bubble agreements. Currently, India holds such agreements with Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Tanzania, UAE, UK, Ukraine, and the USA.

It is important to mention that flights to and from the UK have been allowed to operate amid the new strain of COVID-19 with certain restrictions. The DGCA has permitted only 30 weekly flights between the two countries till February 14. The government had lifted the ban on flight services between India and the UK on January 7 allowing operations in a limited capacity. So far, 150 cases of the new COVID-19 variant, said to have emerged from the UK, have been reported in India. 

Read: India Fastest To Reach 1 Million Vaccination In World, Achieved In 6 Days: Health Ministry

India reported 11,666 new cases on Thursday taking the total number of active cases in the country to 1,73,740. For the first time in 8 months, India recorded less than 130 deaths. About 14,301 new recoveries have taken the total recoveries in the country to 1,03,73,606. Meanwhile, the Union Health Ministry on Thursday revealed that under India's mammoth nationwide vaccination drive, 25 lakh vaccine doses had been administered so far to the healthcare and frontline warriors in the country.

Read: India Has Flattened Its COVID-19 Graph; 146 Districts Have No New Cases For 7 Days: Union Minister Vardhan

Read:Sri Lanka Gets 5 Lakh COVID Vaccine Doses From India; Lankan Prez Thanks Indians & PM Modi

(With Agency Inputs)