India will restart scheduled international flights from December 15 following a hiatus of 20 months, the Civil Aviation Ministry said on November 26.

The scheduled international flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Special international passenger flights have been operating since July last year under air bubble arrangements formed with approximately 28 countries.

In an order, the Civil Aviation Ministry said, "The matter of resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India has been examined in consultation with the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and it has been decided that scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India may be resumed from December 15, 2021."

However, India has imposed restrictions on seat capacities utilisation by the airlines depending on the health ministry's classification of three categories of "at-risk" countries.