AMN / NEW DELHI
The Vande Bharat Mission is nearing the one million mark making this the largest sustained operations for repatriation of stranded Indians. Briefing media, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said, as on date, nearly 9.5 lakh Indians have returned home under this Mission.
He said, the Fifth Phase is currently going on which was operationalized on the 1st of August. Based on the assessment of demand received from Indian missions abroad, the schedule has been augmented with the addition of nearly sixty more flights. Mr Srivastava said, this takes the total flights scheduled this month to 746. In addition, around 200 domestic feeder flights are scheduled to reach 24 airports across India. This phase is expected to repatriate more than one lakh 30 thousand Indians stranded abroad.
The bilateral arrangements for establishing the travel bubbles with the US, Germany and France continue to be in place. Multiple flights are operating from these countries and are providing onward connections.