Official urges countries to resume India flights

Agencies | New Delhi

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

India has urged countries that had snapped travel links with it following the onset of the second Covid-19 crisis in April to resume flights, Arindam Bagchi, spokesman of the external affairs ministry said on Thursday.

Initial talks have started with other countries and the government has given top priority to this move, which will be pursued over the coming days, he added. “We have taken some initial steps in this regard,” he said. “The government will continue to prioritise this issue.”

Asked about the possibility of exporting vaccines to neighbouring countries such as Bangladesh, Bagchi told the media that India’s position on this issue has been consistent. “We have always stated that overseas supply of vaccines from India would depend on availability and our domestic vaccination programme,” he said. "For the moment our priority remains on utilising made-in-India vaccines for our own vaccination programme which as you know has received a boost with the new phase that was launched earlier this week on June 21.”

The National Health Authority planned to share details of the indigenously developed CoWin app, which has been at the forefront of the vaccination drive in the country, with partner countries around the world, added the spokesman.