India-Ukraine air bubble arrangement now in place
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International commute has largely been affected due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Indians can now travel to 17 countries as the Ministry of Civil Aviation has established a separate bilateral air bubble arrangement with Ukraine to conduct select international passenger flights between the two countries.
"To further widen the scope of international air connectivity, an air bubble arrangement is now in place for flights between India and Ukraine, taking the number of such arrangements to 17. Carriers of India and Ukraine will operate between the two countries," Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said.
"Transport bubbles" or "air travel arrangements" are temporary arrangements between two countries intended to resume commercial passenger services when regular international flights are suspended.
International commute has largely been affected due to the COVID-19 epidemic.
The air bubble arrangement is now in place for flights between India and Ukraine under the Vande Bharat Mission -- which started in early May to evacuate Indians stranded abroad due to coronavirus-induced travel restrictions.The mission is in its sixth phase which will continue till October 24.
Accordingly, it will be up to the concerned airlines to ensure no travel restrictions for Indian nationals to enter the respective country with a particular visa category before issuing tickets/boarding passes to Indian citizens.
India has made similar arrangements with 16 countries - Afghanistan, Bahrain, Oman, Canada, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Maldives, Nigeria, Qatar, UAE, Kenya, Bhutan, UK, and the USA.