Coronavirus: International flights to India to remain suspended until May 3

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india coronavirus lockdown, modi, covid19 fight in india

Dubai - Over 1,000 UAE-based Indians have expressed their desire to return home.

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Dhanusha Gokulan

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Published: Tue 14 Apr 2020, 12:00 AM

Last updated: Wed 15 Apr 2020, 2:15 AM

All domestic and international scheduled commercial passenger operations shall remain suspended till 11.59pm of May 3, announced the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The government body issued a circular in this regard on Tuesday, following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation. "However, this restriction will not apply to international all- cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the Director General of Civil Aviation," said the circular signed by deputy director general Sunil Kumar.

As Khaleej Times reported on Monday, over 1,000 UAE-based Indian residents and visitors have expressed their desire to return to India to the Consulate General of India. However, the government has not yet announced any plans to start emergency evacuations of stranded persons from any sector across the globe.



India's apex court said Indian expatriates stranded abroad cannot be flown back immediately and all petitions before the court which sought directions or orders to 'bring back Indians stranded in various countries abroad' has been deferred for four weeks, causing further dismay for Indians in the UAE who wish to fly home.

The Chief Justice of India Sharad Arvind Bobde led bench took up matters pertaining to evacuation of Indian citizens stranded abroad amid the Covid19 pandemic and a total of seven petitions seeking directions from Court on the immediate evacuation of Indian nationals from UK, US, Iran and Gulf countries were taken up simultaneously.


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