India to resume international flights from December 15

India will resume operation of international flights from December 15 after a suspension of over one and a half years, the aviation minister said in statement on Friday.

The ministry said that the decision was taken after consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23 last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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However, special international passenger flights have been operating since July last year under air bubble arrangements formed with approximately 28 countries.

In view of the discovery of a new Covid-19 variant, the Health Ministry in a letter directed all states and union territories to follow strict testing and screening protocols for passengers arriving from South Africa, Hong Kong and Botswana