New Delhi: India is planning to bring back one lakh stranded nationals from 60 countries under the second phase of the Vande Bharat mission, officials said on Tuesday.
The second phase of the mission, which was scheduled to end on May 22, has been extended till June 13.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a meeting on Tuesday with all the agencies and ministries involved in the mega repatriation drive.
In a series of tweets, he said the focus of the meeting was to ramp up the scale of the Vande Bharat Mission and enhance its efficiency.
The target will be to bring back one lakh passengers from 60 countries in the second phase, he said, adding the government is increasing the entry points as well as expanding feeder flights to various destinations in India.
The second phase of the repatriation mission began on May 17.
The minister said Indians are also returning home through land borders starting Tuesday.
He said arrangements are being made for amnesty beneficiaries in the Gulf region and Indian fishermen in Iran will be repatriated by the Navu in June.
Mr Jaishankar also said that Air India will shortly shift to direct ticketing to facilitate bookings abroad.
In the first phase of the mission from May 7 to May 15, the government repatriated around 15,000 people from 12 countries.
As per the government’s policy for reptriation, Indians with “compelling reasons” to return like pregnant women, elderly people, students and those facing deportation are being brought back home.
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