Lok Sabha Question No. 1398 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-10
Subject: International Travel Restrictions due to Covid-19
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, Sudheer Gupta, Ravindra Kushawaha, Ravi Kishan Shukla, Subrata Pathak, Manoj Kumar Tiwari, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Prataprao  Jadhav, Sambhajirao Mane Dhairyasheel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL A VIATION LOK SABHA February 2022)

(To be answered on the 10'

## INTERNATIONAL TRA VEL RESTRICTIONS DUE TO COVID-19

1398.

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA

SHRI RA VINDRA KUSHWAHA

SHRI RA VI KISHAN

SHRI SUBRAT PATHAK

SHRI MANOJ TIWARI

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV

SHRI DHAIRYASHEEL SAMABHAJIRAO MANE

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (2) whether the Government has extended the suspension on international flights to/from India till February in view of rising Covid cases;
- (6) if $0, the details thereof and names of the countries to which such ban is applicable;
3. (c) whether the Government proposes to continue the flights operating under 'air bubble' and if so, the details thereof;
4. (d) the names of the countries with which India has bilateral air bubble arrangement;
5. (e) whether the Government proposes to include more countries under such bilateral arrangement and if $0, the detaiis thereof; and
6. whether airline companies have suffered huge losses due to suspension policy adopted by the Government considering the Covid-19 pandemic and if sO; the details thereof and corrective measures taken by the Government to compensate losses incurred to airline companies?

## ANSWER

## Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

(Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia)

(a) and (b) Scheduled international commercial passenger services to/from India remain Aviation vide circular dated 19.01.2022 has extended the suspension till 28.02.2022. This ban is applicable for all countries: However; international flights under Vande Bharat Mission (including air bubble arrangements) are operational:

- (c), (d) and (e) Flights under the air bubble arrangement will continue till the time scheduled international commercial passenger services tolfrom India remain suspended: As on 01.02.2022,

India has air bubble arrangements with 35 countries: List %f countries is available at AnnexureA. The government periodically reviews the existing air bubble arrangements as well as formalizes new air travel bubble arrangements after taking into consideration the Covid-19 situation; the passenger demand and assessment of risk factor with the concerned country after taking concurrence Of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare:

- (f) The estimated losses incurred by airlines in India in the financial year 2020-21 is approximately Rs.19,564 crore.

Corrective measures taken by the Government include formalization of 35 air bubble arrangements with foreign countries, which allows the Indian carriers to operate international flights to/from these countries In addition, as per the information received from National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company Limited (NCGTC), borrowers from aviation sector have availed guarantee support under the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) which has been extended up to March 2023.

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## Annexure-A to the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1398

## List of countries with whom Air Bubble arrangement has been finalized

1. Afghanistan
2. Australia
3. Bahrain
4. Bangladesh
5. Bhutan
6. 6.
7. Ethiopia
8. Finland
9. 9 France
10. Germany
11. Iraq
12. Japan
13. Kazakhstan
14. Kenya
15. Kuwait
16. Maldives
17. Mauritius
18. Nepal
19. Netherlands
20. Nigeria
21. Oman
22. Qatar
23. Rwanda
24. Russia
25. Saudi Arabia
26. Seychelles
27. Singapore
28. Sri Lanka
29. Switzerland
30. Tanzania
31. UAE
32. UK
33. Ukraine
34. USA
35. Uzbekistan