First Vande Bharat flight from Australia with 223 Indians lands in Delhi

With 223 Indian nationals, the first repatriation flight from Australia landed in New Delhi here on Thursday.

The Air India flight 301 under Vande Bharat Mission took off from Sydney as part of India's evacuation mission to fly home citizens who have been stranded abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took to Twitter to welcome the flight and appreciate the coordinated efforts of the team of India in Australia.

"Glad to welcome the first special flight from Australia under #VBM. AI 301 has landed in Delhi carrying 223 Indians from Sydney. Thank @airindiain @MoCA_GoI and Delhi Government for support and coordination," Jaishankar tweeted.

"Excellent work by @cgisydney under CG Msh Gupta. Appreciate the coordinated efforts of the entire #IndiaInAustralia Team led by HC," he added.

More than twenty thousand Indian citizens have been brought back to the country under the Vande Bharat mission so far and the number will rise further in the coming days, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said

( With inputs from ANI )