India’s massive repatriation effort from 12 countries begins with scramble to get on flights

From the Gulf states to Singapore, Air India planes and naval ships will bring 15,000 non-resident Indians home as part of the Vande Bharat mission

But frustrations at the slow pace of the exercise, and the costs of return and quarantine to evacuees are mounting

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Indian nationals arrive at Dubai International Airport as the first wave of the Hail India evacuation gets under way. Photo: AFP

Published: 11:00am, 8 May 2020Updated: 9:18pm, 8 May 2020

Since Mumbai native Alex Johnson’s work contract in Saudi Arabia ended more than a month ago, the former cashier in a restaurant has been surviving on one meal a day to make his funds last while waiting to return to India.

The 35-year-old, who did not want to use his real name out of concerns there might be repercussions from his former employer, is desperate to see his two-year-old son.

In Singapore, Ramya Rekha Chola who is 29 weeks pregnant needs to return to Kurnool in southern India at least before her 32nd week of pregnancy to give birth. She had arrived in the Southeast Asian country on February 24 on a tourist visa and was due to return to India on April 24.

Both are among the hundreds of thousands of Indian citizens stranded in more than a dozen countries worldwide where they were on holiday, studying or on business when India closed its borders on March 22 and banned all incoming international flights.

In addition, there are about 17 million Indian nationals who live abroad, mostly in the Gulf countries, and those who have lost their jobs are also eager to return home.

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India’s massive repatriation effort from 12 countries begins with scramble to get on flights

From the Gulf states to Singapore, Air India planes and naval ships will bring 15,000 non-resident Indians home as part of the Vande Bharat mission But frustrations at the slow pace of the exercise, and the costs of return and quarantine to evacuees are mounting

From the Gulf states to Singapore, Air India planes and naval ships will bring 15,000 non-resident Indians home as part of the Vande Bharat mission

But frustrations at the slow pace of the exercise, and the costs of return and quarantine to evacuees are mounting