New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on March 22 said that India’s massive evacuation program triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic has brought back over 67 million Indians from abroad.
The government of India has launched the ‘Vande Bharat’ Mission to bring back the stranded Indians abroad.
Vande Bharat Mission soars around the world.
More than 67.7 lakh facilitated since 6 March 2020.
27 air bubbles continue to provide smooth passage for repatriation & International travel.
World's largest mission of hope & happiness. pic.twitter.com/bA83BIEZBi— Hardeep Singh Puri (@HardeepSPuri) March 22, 2021
In his official tweeter account – Hardeep Singh said that “It is not just a mission that brought back stranded & distressed citizens from around the world, but ‘Vande Bharat’ has been a Mission of hope and happiness; of letting people know that they will not be left behind even in the most testing times.”
India’s ‘Vande Bharat’ mission is one of the largest Missions in the world. Vande Bharat mission was started on May 7 last year.
“67.5 million & continuing to grow… The plan had originally envisaged to bring back more than 190,000 Indian nationals,” Minister said.
The government of India used naval ships also to bring back Indian citizens from abroad. Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express played a key role in the operations and the government also allowed other air carriers to take part in the program.
India reports more than 1.16 crore cases so far and claims 1.6 lakh deaths.
-Vinayak