India extends suspension of international flights till May 31

India on Friday extended the suspension on international commercial flight operations till May 31, 2021.

However, international passenger flights under air travel bubble arrangements will continue.

"In partial modification of circular dated 26-06-2020, the competent authority has further extended the validity of circular issued on the above subject... regarding scheduled international commercial passenger services to/from India till 2359 hrs IST of 31st May, 2021," the circular issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

The circular said that the restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by DGCA.

Passenger air services were suspended on March 25, 2020 due to the nationwide lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19.

Domestic flight services, however, resumed from May 25, 2020.

US aid

The first US emergency aid to India arrived on Friday as several states said they would be unable to begin vaccinating all over-18s from this weekend as planned.

The supplies arrived as India recorded another 385,000 new cases in the past 24 hours -- a new global record -- and almost 3,500 deaths, according to official data that many experts suspect falls short of the true toll.

A US Super Galaxy military transporter carrying more than 400 oxygen cylinders, other hospital equipment and nearly one million rapid coronavirus tests landed at New Delhi's international airport early Friday.

The first of several shipments, which flew in from the Travis military base in California, followed talks this week between US President Joe Biden and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

More than 40 countries have committed to sending vital medical aid, particularly oxygen supplies, Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla told reporters Thursday.