The Indian Home Ministry has given permission for Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders from countries with which air bubble arrangements have been finalised by the Civil Aviation Ministry to enter India.
A Home Ministry spokesperson in a tweet said that other foreigners from these countries have also been allowed to avail Indian visa facility for business, medical and employment purposes and that Indian citizens have also been allowed to travel to such countries on any type of visa.
Prior to this, the Central government had in June allowed certain categories of foreign nationals to enter India. They included OCI cardholders and foreign nationals married to Indian citizens.
After launching the Vande Bharat Mission to repatriate stranded Indians from abroad, India has established bilateral air bubbles with the US, UK, Germany, and France during the coronavirus pandemic.
A bilateral air bubble is an agreement under which two countries can reopen their borders and establish connections with each other.