Passenger flights between the UK and India would remain suspended till January 7 and they will resume in a "strictly regulated" manner thereafter, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday.

The Civil Aviation Ministry had last week suspended all flights between the European country and India from December 23 to December 31 as a mutated variant of the coronavirus was detected there.

Puri said on Twitter: "Decision has been taken to extend the temporary suspension of flights to & from the UK till 7 January 2021."

"Thereafter strictly regulated resumption will take place for which details will be announced shortly." he said.

Puri on Tuesday hinted that there might be a slight extension of temporary suspension of passenger flights between India and the United Kingdom, where a mutated variant of the coronavirus has been detected.

“I foresee a slight extension of temporary suspension of India-UK flights,” the minister had said at a press conference.

“In the next day or two, we will find out if any additional steps need to be taken, or when we can start easing the current temporary suspension,” he added.