India on Friday extended the ban on international passenger flights till August 31, according to a circular issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The DGCA, in its latest circular, stated that the flight ban will remain in place till 23.59 hours Indian Standard Time (IST) of August 31, 2021. However, it will not apply to cargo flights and those approved by the regulatory body, it stated.
"This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA. However. International scheduled flights may be allowed on select routes by the competent authority on a case-to-case basis," the aviation regulator stated.
All scheduled international flights to and from India remain suspended since March 23, 2020 in wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The ban on international flights were supposed to end on Saturday, July 31.
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