Some 85 people hailing from various Indian states, living and working in Madagascar, departed for India in a special chartered flight under the third phase of Vande Bharat's repatriation mission.
Madagascar has been home to about 20,000 persons of Indian origin. The total number of Indian citizens residing in the small island nation located in the southern Indian Ocean and close to East Africa is about 2500. Those people are mostly engaged in trading, manufacturing and other businesses.
Indian ambassador Abhay Kumar went on-board the special chartered aircraft along with Second Secretary M Agarwal and wished all the passengers a very safe journey back home to India.
Madagascar has about 1300 COVID positive cases and has had 10 deaths so far. The pandemic situation seems to be under control.
Madagascar is set to celebrate its 60th Independence Day this month on June 26 which would be a low key affair without any foreign participation because of the prevailing global pandemic .
( With inputs from ANI )