Sanjay Singh / New Delhi
The government has revised the existing guidelines for international arrivals to India that comes into effect from October 25.
As per the revised guidelines, air passengers require mandatory RT-PCR report showing samples tested as negative for passengers to board an international flight to India.
“In view of increasing vaccination coverage across the globe and the changing nature of the pandemic, the existing guidelines for international arrivals in India have been reviewed,” according to an official notification issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
International scheduled commercial flights to India was suspended till October 31 owing to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) allowed international cargo flights and those approved by the regulator on select routes to operate.
The Government of India banned international commercial flights since March 23, 2020 to check the spread of the Covid-19 infection. It eased the restrictions on flights in certain countries with which India has had an air bubble arrangement during the past year.
The air bubble pact between the two countries allows the operation of special international flights by the national carrier between their territories. India has formed air bubble pacts with around 25 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Netherlands, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bhutan and Maldives.