India exploring establishment of 'bilateral bubbles' with US, UK, France and Germany for air travel

India is in talks with US and European nations for bilateral arrangements to operate passenger flights as demand for travel to these nations remained high even after the evacuation of a significant number of stranded Indian nationals.

The Civil Aviation Ministry said it was exploring prospect of establishing "bilateral bubbles" with countries such as the US, Germany, France and the UK, even as the US barred Air India from operating Vande Bharat flights without prior approval.

The US administration’s Department of Transportation had said Air India’s repatriation flights created a “competitive disadvantage” for US airlines, which had sought permission from India to operate similar flights.

“As we contemplate further opening up in response to demands, we are looking at the prospect of establishing individual bilateral bubbles, India-US, India-France, India-Germany, India-UK. These are all destinations where demand for travel has not diminished,” Civil Aviation Ministry spokesman Rajeev Jain said in a statement here.

He said final decisions pursuant to negotiations were expected to be taken soon.

The ministry had received requests from travel authorities of several countries including the US, France and Germany requesting their air carriers to participate in transportation of passengers along the line of Air India’s Vande Bharat mission, he said.

He said one round of discussions have already been held with the US Department of Transportation and the US Embassy officials in India.

“They were invited to present precise proposals in this respect,” Jain said, adding that the ministry has received requests on June 19.

India had launched Vande Bharat flights on May 7 which had flown in more than one lakh stranded Indian nationals to the homeland from across the world.

On Saturday, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had announced phase 4 of the Vande Bharat mission involving 1,050 flights, of which 750 were offered to private airliners.