A total of fifteen more countries have recognised India's COVID-19 vaccination certificate, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) informed late on Thursday. These 15 new countries include Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Nepal, Nicaragua, Philippines, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine
With the new addition, as many as 22 countries have mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates with India now.
Taking to Twitter MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "Mutual recognition of COVID-19 vaccination certificates continues! Fifteen more recognitions for India's vaccination certificate."
Check the full list here:
Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mongolia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Palestine, Philippines, San Marino, Singapore, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine," MEA said in a statement.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had said that 96 countries have agreed to the Mutual Acceptance of vaccination certificates of India's COVID vaccines and vaccination process.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had said "At present, 96 countries have agreed to mutual recognition of vaccination certificates and also those who recognise Indian vaccination certificates of travellers fully vaccinated with Covishield/WHO approved/nationally approved Covid vaccines."
Consecutively, persons travelling from these countries are provided certain relaxations as enunciated in the Union health ministry's guidelines on international arrivals issued on 20 October 2021.
Mandaviya also said, “The Union Government is in communication with the rest of the world so that beneficiaries of the world's largest COVID vaccination program gets accepted and recognized, thereby easing travel for education, business and tourism purposes."
International flight operations expected to return to normal soon: Civil Aviation Secretary
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Bansal on Wednesday announced that international flight operations are expected to return to normal soon.
Scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020, after a nationwide lockdown was announced by the Centre in view of the coronavirus outbreak.
On October 29, 2021, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) extended the ban on scheduled international commercial passenger flights to and from India until November 30.
(With inputs from agencies)
