Passenger flights between the UK and India would remain suspended till January 7 and will resume in a “strictly regulated” manner thereafter, aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday.

The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has also extended the suspension of all international flight operations in the country till January 31, 2021.

The civil aviation ministry had last week suspended all flights between the European country and India from December 23-31 as a mutated variant of the coronavirus was detected there.

The minister tweeted: “Decision has been taken to extend the temporary suspension of flights to and from the UK till January 7, 2021. Thereafter strictly regulated resumption will take place for which details will be announced shortly,” he said. Puri’s announcement has come following a recommendation by the Union health ministry to extend the suspension.

The presence of the new UK variant of the virus has already been reported by Denmark, Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Canada and Japan. More than 30 countries have suspended air links with Britain over the new strain.
After a gap of two months, the domestic flight operations resumed in May. International services are being operated under air bubble pacts with different countries.

The minister tweeted: “Decision has been taken to extend the temporary suspension of flights to and from the UK till 7 January 2021. Thereafter strictly regulated resumption will take place for which details will be announced shortly,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DGCA extended the suspension of all international flight operations in the country till 31 January, 2021. "Govt of India extends suspension of scheduled commercial international flights till 31 Jan, 2021," said the civil aviation regulator. However, the restrictions will not be applicable on international air cargo operations and flights specially approved by DGCA.

With more than 10 million infections and 145,000 deaths, India recorded the world's second highest coronavirus caseload behind the United States.