Ever since coronavirus has held the world hostage, the main concern for most countries has been its citizens who are stranded abroad. India has reason to worry as many of its people are living in different parts of the world, be it as tourists, students or just working abroad. Be as it may, bringing them back is a priority.?
Having said that, many repatriation flights have been conducted to bring our people stranded in Europe home and also those in China. But many in USA and the Gulf countries have also appealed to the government to get them out and one can understand the urgency. Well, the good news is that India has not forgotten its people, there are plans to bring them back.?
There is going to be a massive repatriation exercises prompted by the calls of citizens stranded abroad and their cries have not fallen on deaf ears. The first phase begins on May 7 and the process is underway. So what is the plan exactly? It is to bring back hundreds of thousands of Indian nationals stranded abroad.?
On Monday, the government announced that repatriation flights to bring back Indian nationals stranded abroad will start from Gulf.?
In a press statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs announced that the government will be ˇ°facilitating the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in a phased mannerˇ±.?
The effort will begin from May 7 using both aircraft and naval ships, on the basis of a standing operating protocol, it said.?
It is believed that the naval ships might be used to bring back those who cannot afford flight tickets.?
During the first phase from May 7 to May 14, 60 commercial flights are set to bring back some 15,000 citizens from 12 countries, as per reports. Almost half shall be probably operated from Gulf countries like UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Passengers from USA, UK, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines and Bangladesh will also be flown in.?
The first flights are planned from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Riyadh and Doha. The Gulf has one of the largest Indian migrant populations, with an estimated 8.5 million Indian workers spread across the region.?
India expects to bring back around 190,000 people back during the first phase. As of now 17 million Indians are living abroad. This will be the largest evacuation in India's history after they airlifted 170,000 people during the first Gulf War from Kuwait via Jordan back in 1990.?
"COVID-19 test would be done after 14 days and further action would be taken according to health protocols,ˇ± said the MHA press note. ???