New Delhi [India], June 20 (ANI): Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said that as many as 5078 people have returned back to India on Friday under the Vande Bharat Mission.

"VBM flies high. IndiGo joins AI Express and Air India to fly back Indians. 5,078 people return from Paris, Moscow, Dhaka, Kiev, Auckland, Lagos, London, Amsterdam, Johannesburg, Toronto, Chicago, San Francisco, Sydney, Doha, Bishkek, Almaty, Dubai, Phnom Penh and Muscat today (June 19)," Puri tweeted.

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The Vande Bharat Mission is the Government of India's initiative to bring back Indian nationals stranded in various parts of the world due to restrictions over air travel to contain COVID-19 spread.

The exercise began on May 7 and its second phase started on May 16. The third phase, which began on June 11, will continue till June 30. (ANI)

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(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)