As international travel remains suspended in India and special flights between India and UAE have already been allowed to carry passengers on both ways, now India will soon start a “travel bubble” with the United States, France and Germany.
This arrangement could roll out between India and the US, France and Germany within a few days and airlines of both sides will be allowed to operate flights and carry passengers in and out of India who are eligible to do so under the Home Ministry rules, as per sources in the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA).
It is learnt that discussion with US, France and Germany are at a closing stage and announcements could be made this week itself.
India has earlier spoken on “travel bubble” with US, UK, France and Germany to facilitate travel during the Covid-19 pandemic and till schedule flights are resumed.
Earlier, US, France and Germany have asked India to allow their airlines to operate flights like Air India›s Vande Bharat Mission (VBM). Both the US and France have stopped allowing people to fly on VBM flights to Paris and US without permission from later this month.
As of now, three UAE based carriers, Emirates, Etihad and Air Arabia, have commenced repatriation flights to India from July 12 in 15 days’ agreement to repatriate people. Once this arrangement is made with other countries, their airlines will also be able to carry traffic in and out of India as per MHA directives.
Scheduled international passenger flights were suspended on March 22 by India and will remain suspended till the month-end, except on certain routes that the government may specifically allow.
Air India has been operating repatriation flights under the Vande Bharat Mission since May 6, primarily to bring back Indians stranded abroad and has flown back thousands of people so far.
Air India had been flying people on VBM flights out of India to certain countries like US, Germany, UK and France till recently who were allowing incoming traffic. The MHA currently allows certain categories of foreign nationals, including overseas citizens of India cardholders, to enter India.