Vande Bharat Mission, India’s largest repatriation mission during the coronavirus pandemic to bring back stranded Indians home, has completed its 50 days on Friday. During this, the mission successfully brought back 140,000 Indians home since 7 May and looking at its success, the Indian government is all set to launch its fourth phase from 3 July. Also, as per the data of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, more than 48,000 people have also flown out of the country with the help of this. More than 700 flights have been involved in this mission. Minister for Civil Aviation Hardeep Puri said that around 1,050 flights would be planned in the phase 4 of the Mission. Private Indian airlines would handle 750 of them and Air India would handle the rest.
In its first phase (7-15 May), Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express operated 64 flights to bring back around 15,000 people from 12 countries. The second phase of the repatriation programme began on 16 May till 13 June. 400 flights were involved during this. Meanwhile, the 3rd phase, which is still underway will go on till 2 July with 432 international flights from 42 countries with main focus on African countries and participation of private airlines. Major focus of phase 4 will be on Gulf countries, Malaysia and Singapore, among others from where a large number have registered to return as per the Ministry of External Affairs.
The countries in which this mission is being carried out include United States, Canada United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, UK, New Zealand, Malaysia, Oman, Kazakhstan and Armenia, Australia, Belarus, France, Georgia, Germany , Indonesia , Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Russia, Tajikistan, Thailand & Ukraine etc.
