The deadly coronavirus has snapped India’s link with a large part of the world.
The USA and Britain have put India on the travel red list while Canada, Indonesia, Singapore, and the UAE have restricted travel from India.
As of now, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Canada, and the UAE have already banned travel restrictions.
The USA and Israel have issued advisory warnings to their citizens to avoid travelling to India even if they are vaccinated.
Singapore has further tightened entry norms for visitors from India. Indonesia has decided it will not issue visas to foreigners who have been in India in the past 14 days. The German Embassy also advised its staff to completely operate from the home office and also asked them to consider leaving for early vacations. The US Embassy in New Delhi has cancelled all in-person visa and interview-waiver till May 9 due to the worsening pandemic situation.
Tightening the entry norms for visitors from India, Singapore decided that all long-term pass holders and short-term visitors who have travelled to India within the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter or transit through from April 24 while countries of European Union are closing monitoring the Covid-19 surge cases.
People who have recently travelled to India and have not completed their 14-day stay-home notice (SHN) by 11.59 pm on Thursday night will have to complete their additional seven-day SHN at a dedicated facility rather than their places of residence in Singapore.
“As per Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore CAAS Circular of April 22, all inbound travellers, (except Singapore citizens or Singapore permanent residents) with recent travel history (including transit) to India within the last 14 days before departure for Singapore, will not be allowed entry into or transfer/transit through Singapore from 2359 hrs of April 23,until further notice. This will also apply to those who had obtained prior approval for entry into Singapore. Further updates will be shared shortly,” Air India said.
Canada has suspended all commercial and private flights from India for 30 days. Air travelers who depart India for Canada via an indirect route will need to obtain a negative Covid-19 pre-departure test from a third country before continuing their journey to Canada.
“In view of the restrictions announced by the Regulatory Authority of Canada, flights to Vancouver & Toronto are cancelled. Vancouver flight from Apr 25 to May 21. Toronto flight from April 24 to May 22. Further information on waivers & refund will be updated shortly,” Air India tweeted.
Air India flies to Vancouver and Toronto under the India-Canada air bubble. Air Canada also operates flight between Toronto and Delhi.
The UAE has banned travel from India for 10 days from Sunday. The ban will come into effect from 11.59 pm on Saturday, April 24, and is subject to review after 10 days.
According to Air India, it will operate only two flights (April 27-28 and 29-30) during April 24 to 30 and it will be the sole responsibility of the passengers to ensure his/her eligibility to enter the destination country. “Air India will accept no liability if non compliance results in denied boarding,” it said.
Just hours after the United Kingdom had announced the cancellation of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to India due to a spike in coronavirus infections, the Dawning Street has added India to its Covid-19 travel “red list”, which effectively bans all travel from April 24 to April 30 and makes a 10-day hotel quarantine compulsory for UK residents returning home.
Last year, India had suspended all flights to and from the UK from December 23 in the wake of the new mutant strain of novel coronavirus found in the UK and South Africa.
New Zealand imposed a restriction on travel from India after it detected 23 Covid-19 cases among passengers flying from outside earlier this month. Of them 17 were positive for the Indian variant of SARS-CoV-2. Hong Kong clubbed India with the Philippines and Pakistan as “high-risk” places for Covid-19 spread and imposed a 14-day travel ban. Pakistan has also put India in the category-C list of the countries over the spike in Covid-19 cases.
Israel issued a travel advisory warning citizens including those who have recovered from or been vaccinated against Covid-19, to refrain from travelling to India, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and Turkey because of high Covid morbidity rates in the seven countries.
The USA has also advised its citizens to avoid travelling to India, even if they are fully vaccinated, as there is a “very high level” of Covid-19 in the country.