International flights ban: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday extended the ban on international commercial passenger flights by one month till June 30, 2021. The ban has been in place since March 2020.

However, it said that the Covid-related restrictions will not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the DGCA.

Scheduled international passenger services have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But special international flights have been operating under the Vande Bharat Mission since May and under bilateral “air bubble” arrangements with selected countries since July.

India has formed air bubble pacts with 27 countries, including the US, the UK, the UAE, Kenya, Bhutan and France. Under an air bubble pact between two countries, special international flights can be operated by their airlines between their territories.

“In partial modification of circular dated 26-06-2020, the competent authority has further extended the validity of circular issued on the subject cited above regarding Scheduled International commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs 1ST of 30th June, 2021,” the DGCA circular read. “However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected routes by the competent authority on case to case basis,” it added.

Mean-while, India recorded 186,364 fresh Covid-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the lowest daily count in 44 days, as infections continued to decrease in the country. The daily death toll, however, remained over the 3,000-mark, with 3,660 deaths. India’s total cases now stand at 27,555,457, while total fatalities are at 318,895, according to MoHFW. The test positivity ratio stands at 9 per cent.
With 33,361 cases reported in the past 24 hours, Tamil Nadu is leading the state list. It is followed by Karnataka with 24,214 new infections. Kerala reported 24,166 cases. Maharashtra 21,273 cases, and Andhra Pradesh 16,167 cases. The case count was 13,046 for West Bengal. Meanwhile, Delhi reported 153 cases of mucormycosis (black fungus) today, exceeding the total number of cases from 620 to 773.