India extends ban on international flights till August 31
India has extended the ban on international flights to and from the country till August 31 amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The earlier ban on scheduled international commercial services was till July 31.
In the wake of the pandemic, overseas flights were suspended in late March, while cargo flights and those approved by the aviation sector regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, have been permitted to operate.
In a statement on Friday evening, the DGCA said the government has decided to "extend the suspension on the scheduled international commercial passenger services to/from India up to 2359 hours IST of 31st August".
However, this restriction would not applicable for international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the DGCA.
During the ban period, more than 2,500 repatriation flights by foreign carriers to carry stranded passengers to and from India have been approved, the statement said.
India reported a record single-day jump of 57,118 Covid-19 cases to push the total tally to 16,95,988 while the death toll reached 36,511 with 764 new fatalities, according to Indian health ministry data today.
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