New Delhi: Foreign embassies and missions — the US, UK, Germany, France and Afghanistan — in India are now making efforts to take their citizens back home as the country is observing a nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
US Ambassador to India Ken Juster tweeted Wednesday that the country is going all out to arrange flights for American citizens.
“The U.S. Mission to India continues to work with @StateDept and airline companies to arrange flights from India to the U.S. for U.S citizens. Once flights are arranged, we will work with the GoI (Government of India) to arrange to the greatest extent possible safe passage to airports for U.S. citizens,” wrote Juster.
The U.S. Mission to India continues to work with @StateDept & airline companies to arrange flights from India to the U.S. for U.S citizens. Once flights are arranged, we will work with the GoI to arrange to the greatest extent possible safe passage to airports for U.S. citizens. pic.twitter.com/TW6LbJK82N
— Ken Juster (@USAmbIndia) March 25, 2020
Meanwhile, the German embassy in India has already obtained permission to fly out their citizens in a special aircraft operated by Lufthansa Airlines even though India has barred commercial passenger airliners from landing here.
“Germany is facilitating the evacuation of German as well as other EU nationals out of India due to the lockdown by a special flight operated by Lufthansa,” said a senior German government official, who didn’t want to be named.
According to the official, the German embassy is also facilitating the smooth passage of other European citizens, mostly tourists, who are stuck in India.
Meanwhile, two special Aeroflot flights took off from Delhi and Goa to Moscow Wednesday, carrying 388 and 126 Russian nationals, respectively.
According to Yevgeny Bezeka, Press Secretary, Russian embassy in India, “several thousand” Russian nationals are still stuck mostly in Goa, Rishikesh and Mathura, who want to go back home now.
The Russian embassy has also set up emergency control rooms in its consulates in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai for its stranded citizens.
Also read: Indian students in UK demand to be sent back despite travel restrictions due to coronavirus
UK, France trying hard too
Sources said the UK High Commission is seeking permission from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to allow their flights to evacuate British nationals.
“We recognise British tourists abroad are finding it difficult to return to the UK because of the unprecedented travel and domestic restrictions that are being introduced around the world, often with very little or no notice,” Kieran Drake, Minister Counsellor, British High Commission, told ThePrint.
“We are working round-the-clock to support British travellers in this situation. Our consular staff are supporting those with urgent need while providing travel advice and support to those still abroad,” Drake added.
Drake also said the British High Commission has offered all staff across the world, including India, the option to “leave their overseas posting voluntarily on a temporary basis on the understanding that they will return to post”.
The French embassy is also planning to send back 2,000 French tourists who are stuck in India due to the massive travel restrictions.
“We are also in talks with the Indian government to have special flights being operated via Air France. We are working out the necessary approval for the same. The tourists want to go back to their homes. We are getting about 500 calls per day from French nationals stuck here,” said a French diplomatic source.
Around 11,500 French nationals are currently in India.
Earlier this month, when the government was imposing restrictions on international airliners, about 1,000 French tourists were sent back by special arrangements with KLM and Qatar Airways, said another source.
Afghan citizens waiting to fly out
Afghanistan is also planning to evacuate its citizens from India, and the process will begin Thursday.
“Following vigorous follow-ups, the proposal of evacuating all stranded Afghan citizens in India is likely to be approved by the Indian Govt starting tomorrow. We ask our stranded fellow Afghans to contact KamAir for their flight details. Thanks to our Indian partners,” tweeted Tahir Qadiry, Chargé d’Affaires, Afghanistan Embassy in India.
According to official sources, the Indian government has been providing all necessary approval required for other countries to take their citizens back on a case-to-case basis.
As far as the staff in some foreign embassies and high commissions are concerned, most of the countries have given them permission to leave the country voluntarily.
Also read: Germany, France, US have hundreds of coronavirus cases, but India isn’t restricting travel
What are uk doing to get British Nationals out of goa India
We cannot get any help or update from nobody
My wife has serva asthma and is running very low on medication