Kuala Lumpur : More than 8,500 Indians living in Malaysia have been flown home on Vande Bharat repatriation flights in the last three and half months after the COVID-19 outbreak.
The Vande Bharat Mission (VBM), which started on 9 May, to bring back stranded Indian nationals to their homeland, has continuously operating its flight from Malaysia to India. Yesterday on 19 August, the 50th flight in the VBM series, Air India Xpress IX 1121, carried 177 passengers from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to New Delhi.
High Commissioner Mr. Mridul Kumar visited KL Airport to oversee the arrangements and met with Indian passengers travelling by the 50th repatriation flight. At the Airport while speaking to the reporters, he said, under the Vande Bharat Mission, not only Indians were returning to India, but also many Malaysian citizens had been returned to their home-land from India. More importantly, more than 800 Indian nationals languishing in various detention centres in Malaysia were also sent back to India by VBM flights.
High Commissioner thanked Malaysian Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and Defence Minister for their support in repatriation of Indian nationals. He appreciated Malaysian Human Resource Minister YB Datuk Seri M. Saravanan, MIC President YB Senator Tan Sri Dato’ Sri SA Vigneswaran for providing timely support in repatriation of stranded people from both India and Malaysia .
High Commissioner also acknowledged the support extended by Malaysian Government, Malaysian Immigration Authorities, Airport Authorities, Volunteers from GOPIO, Overseas Friends of BJP, Gurudwaras and numerous philanthropic organisations and individuals, who came forward and offered their services.
Malaysia is one of the select countries identified by the Government of India for assisting return of Indians under this Mission. The return of Indians are also being undertaken in other countries including, US, UK, Singapore, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Maldives and Bangladesh etc.
There are a few thousand Indian nationals stranded in Malaysia. Given large number of Indians in Malaysia, priority has been given to people in distress including migrant workers who have been laid off, short term visas holders, persons with medical emergency, chronic illness, pregnant women/elderly, students, and those required to return to India due to death of close family members.
The repatriation of stranded Indians are being carried out in phased manner. So far, 8588 Indians have flown back to India. Indian nationals have flown to 14 destinations across 11 States in India. These VBM flights are operated by Air India Express, Air India and Indigo airlines. High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur is providing support and assistance for repatriation of its citizens stranded in Malaysia.
Vande Bharat Mission, an unprecedented exercise being carried out by the Government of India in close coordination with various countries and state governments in India to assist Indian nationals stranded in different parts of the world, due to travel restrictions caused by COVID-19.
