100^th repatriation flight from Kuala Lumpur to India under “Vande Bharat Mission”

Under the ongoing Vande Bharat Mission (VBM), Air India Xpress IX 1621 carried 160 passengers from Kuala Lumpur to Chennai today afternoon. This was the landmark 100^th VBM flight operated between India and Malaysia under the direct supervision of the Indian High Commission.

High Commissioner H.E. Mr. Mridul Kumar was at the KL International Airport along with members of the Indian High Commission to oversee the arrangements. YB Senator Datuk T. Mohan Thangarasu also joined High Commissioner in seeing off their Indian brothers and sisters travelling by the 100^th repatriation flight. In his remarks to media personnel at the airport, High Commissioner expressed gratitude to the Malaysian Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, Foreign Minister YB Dato’ Seri HishammuddinTun Hussein and Defence Minister YB Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob for their continued support for smooth operation of these flights. He also extended his sincere appreciation to MIC President Tan Sri Dato’ Sri SA Vigneswaran for his unstinted support in this worthy endeavour.

The Vande Bharat Mission (VBM) is the largest repatriation exercise ever carried out by the Government of India. Launched in the first week of May this year, following the widespread travel restrictions caused due to COVID-19 since March 2020, these repatriation flights, currently in its seventh phase, have enabled stranded Indians across the globe, to return to India. Kuala Lumpur was one among the first 12 countries from which VBM flights started operation. In the last six and half months since VBM flights have been operating from Kuala Lumpur, more than 17,000 passengers from Malaysia have flown to 15 destinations in India on these flights.

High Commissioner Kumar also shared that while most of the passengers travelling on VBM were Indian nationals, given the traditionally close people to people linkages that India and Malaysia share, OCI card holders and Malaysian nationals facing emergency circumstances have also

been accommodated on these flights as per extant Government of Indian guidelines. In addition to repatriating Indian nationals, these repatriation flights have also enabled many Malaysian citizens in India to return to Malaysia.

High Commissioner also appreciated the tireless efforts of the Malaysian Government, Malaysian Health officials, Immigration Authorities, Malaysian Police, Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia, Airport Authorities and COVID-19 Task Force for their magnanimous support and cooperation. He also thanked the Malaysian government for facilitating the release and repatriation of Indians in immigration detention centres, through VBM flights as well as special flights operated by the Malaysian government.

He also conveyed gratitude to the volunteers and NGOs, who came forward to assist the Indian High Commission in facilitating smooth conduct of these VBM flights.

The High Commission of India in Kuala Lumpur has been and continues to provide assistance in the repatriation of its nationals stranded in Malaysia, including facilitation in immigration clearance for emergency cases.

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13 November 2020