Hundreds of thousands of Indians stranded abroad because of the coronavirus crisis will be brought back by air and by sea from Thursday in the World’s Largest Evacuation mission.

More than 3 lakh Indians have requested a flight home. Those taking the special flights will be charged around Rs 50,000 from Europe and Rs 1 lakh from the US. Naval warships will also set out for Indians stuck in West Asia and the Maldives. This is the biggest exercise since national airline Air India flew back 1,70,000 during the first Gulf War.

A Standard Operating Protocol (SOP) has been prepared in this regard, an MHA official told

According to the official, Indian embassies and high commissions have been asked to prepare a list of distressed Indian citizens, who are stuck abroad and want to return.

At the time of boarding the flight, the ministry will ensure all travelers undergo thermal screening. Only asymptomatic travelers will be allowed to board.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday announcing that the Air India Group will operate 64 flights to 12 countries to bring back over 14,000 stranded people in 7 days from May 7.

Passengers would be required to pay a fixed amount for the ferry service, for instance, the one-way all-inclusive fare between Chicago to New Delhi will be charged at ₹100,000, while that for Dhaka-Delhi at ₹12,000 and Manila-Delhi at ₹30,000.

In the first week, 64 flights will go to 12 countries, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Maldives, UK, Singapore, US. Naval ships will go to the Maldives because there are a number of people working there.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will give travelers two days notice with the schedule (day, place and time of arrival) of the incoming flight on its website. Onboard, the health protocol announced by the MoCA will be applicable.

On arrival, all passengers will undergo mandatory institutional quarantine for a minimum of 13 days, at their own cost.

The Aarogya Setu mobile app is mandatory for travelers.

Here is the full fare list:

“Non-scheduled commercial flights would be arranged for air travel. The travel would begin in a phased manner from 7 May,” the official said. Also a  ‘priority list’ is to be prepared by the government.

.A ‘priority list’

  • According to government sources, the administration will make a “priority list”. In the first phase, only those Indian nationals will be brought back who are facing financial difficulties, having medical emergencies and those who are dependents.
  • In the first phase, the government is most likely to bring back those citizens who are stuck in the Gulf region, followed by Japan and the US. 
  • “Indian nationals are stuck from the Caribbean islands to Australia… So not all can be brought together at one go. It will have to be done in a phased manner,” said a government official, who is involved in the process. 
  • The decision to bring back Indians stuck abroad was taken last month when the Ministry of External Affairs made a detailed proposal on how the operation can be done in a graded manner. 
  • Following the presentation by the Ministry of External Affairs to all state governments, Indian missions abroad have already started the process of registration of those who want to come back.
  • Several thousand Indians, including students on short-term visas, are currently stranded abroad as they could not return home due to the 40-day lockdown in India as well as travel restrictions put in place everywhere to contain the spread of Covid-19.
  • While India did repatriate some of its citizens, including students from Europe, China, Iran and others in early March, the process was halted after the announcement of the lockdown on 24 March, and complete restrictions on air travel.
  • As the clamour to bring them back was growing and the Modi government was coming under fire, governments of Kuwait and the UAE had offered to fly their own special aircraft to send the Indians stranded there back to India.

The three ships deployed by the Navy are INS Shardul, INS Magar and INS Jalashwa. The INS Jalashwa, based in Visakhapatnam, has steamed into the Arabian Sea for the mission. The Indian Air Force has prepared about 30 aircraft, including Boeing Co.’s C-17 Globemaster and Lockheed Martin Corp.’s C-130J Super Hercules, for the mission.

Priority also will be given to pregnant women, the elderly, people with medical emergencies and ones with bereavement or serious illness in their immediate family, apart from migrant workers who have been laid off, say officials.