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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has begun consultations with different states and union territories (UTs) to bring back several thousand Indian nationals who have found themselves stranded on foreign shores due to the ongoing travel restrictions in place across the world. Official sources say that most of the Indians stranded overseas are in the Gulf countries, with Japan, Singapore and the European Union (EU) nations also hosting citizens who are looking to get back to the country.
The decision in this regard only will be taken after getting the feedback on the preparedness of the states and UTs to receive such people, sources revealed. They say that the authorities are also in touch with Indian missions abroad to review the preparations in place in different countries to fly the stranded citizens back home.
Sources say that the process is going to be a particularly challenging one for the authorities.
Before the restrictions on international travel and subsequent lockdown came into effect, India had managed to evacuate nearly 2,000 of its nationals stranded in countries such as China, Japan, Italy and Iran among others.
