Vande Bharat Mission: Over 5L Indians returned home under biggest repatriation exercise

Over five lakh citizens have so far returned to India from 137 countries under Central government’s biggest evacuation exercise "Vande Bharat Mission" that was launched on May 7 in wake COVID-19 pandemic, Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.

" VBM operations commenced on May 7, 2020 and in less than two months 5,03,990 stranded Indians from 137 countries, including from remote areas, have returned to ir homes. Considering that initial target to bring stranded Indians with compelling reasons was only 2 lakh, this is a significant achievement," MEA said in a release.

As per release, Kerala welcomed largest number of Indians (94,085), followed by Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Andhra Pradesh.

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'A coordinated effort'

largest number of stranded Indians who returned under Vande Bharat Mission are from UAE (57,305), followed by Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia and USA. A total of 91,193 Indians returned from Nepal through land border check posts, Ministry said. Anuncing record-breaking achievement, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said massive operation was carried out with coordinated efforts of Indian Embassies abroad, Civil Aviation Ministry, Home Ministry, and state governments. 

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Vande Bharat mission undertook 860 Air India flights; 1,256 charter flights and eight naval ships. number of stranded Indians returned by Air India were 1,64,121; Indian Navy evacuated 3,987 in 8 ships from Maldives, Iran and Colombo. Chartered flights transported 2,30,832 passengers and foreign carriers evacuated 3,969; and about 60 air ambulances were operated under mission.  

"Considering that initial target to bring stranded Indians with compelling reasons was only 2 lakh, this is a significant achievement," Ministry said. 

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