NEW DELHI: With Omicron deferring resumption of regular international flights, India is currently working on creating air bubbles with 10 more countries including Saudi Arabia and Switzerland.
Since last summer, India has so far created bubbles with 31 countries.
The government had earlier decided bubbles will lapse and scheduled international flights under air services agreements (bilaterals) with different countries begin on December 15. But now the same will happen based on the pandemic situation.
“We have 10 proposals pending for air bubble agreements. We have forwarded the proposals to these countries. Saudi Arabia is one of them,” Union aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told Parliament on Thursday.
It is learnt that work is on for creating bubbles with Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Israel, Italy, Philippines, Thailand, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia and Switzerland.
“The government is keen to resume regular flights now. Till that happens, international connectivity will continue to be provided under bubble system and based on the rules of different countries during the pandemic. We are keeping a constant watch on the unfolding situation,” said officials in the know.
