Airlift 2: Vande Bharat and Samudra Setu missions

Vande Bharat Mission

It is one of the largest evacuation exercises since the 1990 Kuwait airlift (in which 1.7 lakh people from Kuwait were airlifted). In this mission the government will operate 64 flights from May 7 to 13 to bring home thousands of Indian nationals stranded abroad due to the coronavirus lockdown. 

• The government will facilitate the return of Indian nationals stranded abroad on compelling grounds in a phased manner.
• Priority will be given to compelling cases in distress, including migrant workers, labourers who have been laid off and those faced with expiry of short term visas, persons with medical emergency, pregnant women, elderly, those required to return to India due to death of family member, and students.
• The government  will operate of 64 flights to bring back around 15,000 Indian nationals stranded abroad amid the Covid-19 lockdown. 
• Air India and its subidiary Air India Express will operate these flights.
• India will operate flights to following 12 countries 
1. the UAE (10 flights), 
2. the US  (7 flights), 
3. the UK (7 flights), 
4. Saudi Arabia (5 flights), 
5. Singapore (5 flights) 
6. Qatar (2 flights)
7. Malaysia 
8. Bangladesh, 
9. Kuwait 
10. Philippines, 
11. Oman and 
12. Bahrain.
• Approximately, 2,000 people be repatriated daily from abroad.
• Passengers will bear the cost of tickets.

Samudra Setu

It is the name of operation launched by the Indian Navy to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas. 

• Naval ships Jalashwa and Magar are enroute to the port of Male (Republic of Maldives) to evacuate people from May 8. 
• Only those who test Covid-19 negative would be allowed to travel.
• The evacuated personnel will be disembarked at Kochi and entrusted to the care of State authorities.
• This operation is being progressed in close coordination with Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Home Affairs, Health and various other agencies of the Government of India and State governments.

Source: Indian Express