Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Tuesday said he foresees a slight extension of temporary suspension of passenger flights between India and the UK, where a new variant of the coronavirus has been detected.
The Civil Aviation Ministry had last week suspended all flights between India and the UK from December 23 to December 31 over the mutated variant of the virus.
"I foresee a slight extension of temporary suspension of India-UK flights," the minister said during a press conference on Tuesday.
"In the next day or two, we will find out if any additional steps need to be taken, or when we can start easing the current temporary suspension," he added.
Earlier in the day, the Union Health Ministry said six persons who returned to India from the United Kingdom have tested positive for the new strain of the virus.
The presence of the new UK variant has already been reported in Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, Italy, Sweden, and other countries.