India asks Canada to lift ban on direct flights

India has officially asked the Canadian government to lift its ban on direct flights from New Delhi. That prohibition has been in place since April 22 and has been extended twice.

The request for early resumption of flights under the air corridor arrangement that came into place last summer was sent by India’s high commission in Ottawa to Global Affairs Canada, Canada’s foreign ministry, in the form of a formal diplomatic communiqué, a note verbale.

The current ban will expire on July 21 unless extended for a fourth time by the department of transportation. The original April decision came as India faced a devastating second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and due to fears in Canada over transmission of the Delta variant by air passengers.