Vande Bharat Mission: Over 16.25 lakh people repatriated so far, says Hardeep Singh Puri

The Vande Bharat Mission has repatriated over 16 lakh people so far, according to the recent tweet by Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. 'Mission of hope & happiness' reads the tweet along with the update on VBM. Over 16.25 lakh people have returned to their countries via the Vande Bharat flights since the commencement of the mission amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On September 13, a total of 4,170 people returned under Vande Bharat Mission according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

Vande Bharat Mission has facilitated the repatriation of people following the COVID-19 lockdown which halted all international flights. This left a large number of people stranded in different countries before the Vande Bharat flights allowed them to return to India. Vande Bharat Mission has also helped the foreigners stranded in India to return home. 

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More on Vande Bharat Mission

Vande Bharat Mission is a repatriation and evacuation initiative launched by the Government of India following the COVID-19 outbreak which led to various restrictions across the globe. Launched on 7 May 2020, the Vande Bharat flights aim to evacuate and rescue stranded Indians in different countries. About 84 flights operated under this mission in the first phase other than the Indian Navy vessels which also rescued Indians in other nations by bringing them back. The first flight under the Vande Bharat Mission was an Air India Express flight which operated between Abu Dhabi and Kochi. The VBM is currently in its sixth phase which will continue till October 24.

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Bilateral Air Bubble

In August, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) permitted Indians with valid visas to travel to the US, Canada, UAE and the UK after signing bilateral 'Air Bubble' agreements with these countries along with Qatar and Maldives. In July, India also announced the 'Air Bubble' agreement with Germany and France. The government of India is currently negotiating bilateral air bubble with other nations to facilitate air travel based on understanding and partnership considering the global COVID-19 pandemic. The bilateral 'Air Bubble' agreement will allow inbound and outbound flights between countries and will ease the travel restrictions amid the health crisis. 

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(With inputs from ANI)