India asks Canadian Government for early resumption of direct flights

India asks Canadian Government for early resumption of direct flights

India has officially asked the Canadian government to lift its ban on direct flights from New Delhi. That prohibition has been in place since April 22 and has been extended twice.

The request for early resumption of flights under the air corridor arrangement that came into place last summer was sent by India’s high commission in Ottawa to Global Affairs Canada, Canada’s foreign ministry, in the form of a formal diplomatic communiqué, a note verbale.

India has said that factual data, along with the inconvenience being caused to Indian and Canadian citizens should be factored in as the Canadian government decides on the ongoing ban. Indian officials have also stressed on the difficulties being faced by students who wish to commence studies in Canada for the semester beginning in September and need to arrive well in time to prepare.

Several countries have started allowing Indians to fly in for non-essential travel as the country continues to witness a decline in Covid-19 cases. Canada, Germany and Maldives are the three latest countries that have opened up travel for Indian citizens.

The Indian travellers will have to produce a negative Covid-19 test result taken at the final point of departure to Canada. Fully vaccinated travellers allowed to enter Canada may be exempted from federal quarantine and day 8 testing starting July 5. Canada has so far approved the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Astra Zeneca/Covishield, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

In the case of Germany, the country’s health agency Robert Koch Institute has lifted its ban on travellers from five countries hit by the Delta strain COVID-19, including India, UK, Russia, Nepal, and Portugal.

As for Maldives, international flight will resume from July 15. The island nation has announced the reopening of its international borders with many South Asian countries, including India.

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