The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the extension of the current lockdown (in force since late March) through 31 May as India reported its biggest single-day jump in COVID-19 cases. Areas with low cases of infections will be permitted to implement relaxations to the lockdown measures and these relaxations would be decided at a district level.

Further, as of 7 May, the Indian Government has commenced the process of repatriating Indian citizens who are currently afraid and who were unable to return to India due to the lockdown. Air India has announced the eligibility requirements for passengers to be permitted on repatriating flights from and to India. The following categories are permitted to board flights leaving from India:

• Citizens of the destination country
• Indian citizens and foreign nationals who hold visas or permits valid for at least 1 year (holders of initial work visas valid for a period of less than 1 year may still be permitted to board but will need to confirm this with Air India in advance)

The permission to board flights from India is also subject to the passengers passing thermal screening tests and they be able to comply with health requirements (i.e. self-isolation, etc.) imposed by the destination country upon arrival.