India exploring for possibility on an air bubble agreement with Nepal

Nepal could be the new entrant to the list of countries with which India has an air bubble agreement in South Asia.

The ministry of external affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said India is "exploring the possibility of an air bubble arrangement with Nepal."

India has an air bubble agreement with 22 countries globally. Within South Asia, the country has an air bubble agreement with Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and the Maldives.

Air bubbles are an arrangement which has come amidst the COVID-19 pandemic impacting global air transport. Global air travel came to a grinding halt due to the pandemic. Aimed at restarting commercial passenger services, the transport bubbles are reciprocal in nature, and airlines from both countries enjoy similar benefits.