India to resume int'l flights from March 27

After a Covid-induced hiatus of nearly two years, India on Tuesday announced the resumption of regular international flights from March 27.

"After deliberation with stakeholders & keeping in view the decline in the #COVID19 caseload,we have decided to resume international travel from Mar 27 onwards," Indian Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted.

"Air Bubble arrangements will also stand revoked thereafter. With this step, I’m confident the sector will reach new heights!" he wrote.

The Indian government put curbs on all domestic and international flights in March 2020 in the wake of the Covid-induced lockdown across the country.

Though it allowed domestic flights to ply from May 2020, restrictions prevailed on global flights till the government allowed the entry of all foreigners except tourists from October that year under the "Bubble arrangement" that forced airlines to jack up ticket prices.

Though the Civil Aviation Ministry had earlier decided to resume international flights from December last year, the plan was shelved in the wake of the detection of the new  'Omicron' variant of Covid.