New Delhi: Vande Bharat Mission, which started on May 7 to bring back stranded Indian nationals back home from other countries, initiated its second phase of operation from Saturday by sending three Air India flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Under the second phase of Vande Bharat Mission a total of 149 flights, including feeder flights, will be operated to bring back Indians from 40 countries. Out of the 149 flights, 13 flights will come from the US, 11 from the UAE, 10 from Canada, nine each from Saudi Arabia and the UK, eight each from Malaysia and Oman, seven each from Kazakhstan and Australia.

India began phased repatriation of its citizens stranded abroad from May 7.

In the second phase, 31 flights will come to Kerala, 22 to Delhi, 17 to Karnataka, 16 to Telangana, 14 to Gujarat, 12 to Rajasthan, nine to Andhra Pradesh, seven to Punjab, six each to Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, three to Odisha, two to Chandigarh, and one each to Jammu and Kashmir, Jaipur, Mumbai and Madhya Pradesh.

Government started Vande Bharat Mission – one of the largest initiatives to repatriate nationals back to India, on May 7. Under this mission, Ministry of Civil Aviation is coordinating with Ministry of External Affairs and state Governments for bringing Indians back to their homeland.

The first phase of the Vande Bharat Mission covering across 12 countries was completed today. (ANI)