India has released a brand-new set of travel advice amid an increase in coronavirus cases in China, Japan, the US, and other nations. Regardless of their country of origin, passengers traveling via China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand before landing at any Indian airport are required to have a negative coronavirus report, according to the union health minister.
“This will also apply to transiting passengers through China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand and Japan irrespective of their originating countries before coming to any Indian Airport,” Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
In a statement to the states, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan explained that the recommendations had been updated and went into force on January 1 due to the coronavirus infections’ shifting trends in several nations, particularly China, Singapore, Hong Kong, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, and Japan.
The COVID test must be conducted within 72 hours of undertaking the journey to India. The negative report from the RT-PCR test must be uploaded on the Air Suvidha portal before their departure.
“This will also apply to transiting passengers through the countries (mentioned) irrespective of their originating countries before coming to any Indian Airport,” Bhushan said in the letter.
As a result, the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s Air Suvidha Portal must be made available for use by passengers on all international flights departing from these nations, with a provision enabling visitors from other countries who arrive in India to submit a self-declaration form and negative RT-PCR test reports online.
“This arrangement is in practice with effect from 10 am on Sunday, January 1, 2023,” the letter said, adding the existing practice of post-arrival random testing of 2 percent of travelers irrespective of the port of departure shall continue.
