Male: Am Indian government-arranged ship to evacuate its nationals stranded in the Maldives due to the COVID-19 lockdown, has docked in the Maldives.

The ship, INS Jalashwa, entered the port in Maldives capital, Malé City on Thursday.

The High Commission of India in the Maldives (HCI) revealed that the Maldivian government has been working to repatriate the Indian nationals stranded in the Maldives as well.

The Indian government facilitated the repatriation of Indians from Maldives via INS Jalashwa and it has arrived for the first phase under the operation.

These Indian nationals have been stranded in the Maldives due to restrictions on international travel in both countries, provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic. While about 200 Indians will be repatriated, priority will be given to pregnant women, elderly, children, stranded tourist and workers who lost their jobs as well as those with compelling grounds such as medical or a death in the family.

Citing the Indian High Commission in Maldives, an English newspaper publication from India, Deccan Herald earlier reported that the 200 Indian nationals will be evacuated via the ship to Cochin, Kerala State.

The High Commission is to have noted that evacuees that are ferried to Cochin will be quarantined for at 14 days before they are allowed to return to their respective destinations. This will be done in accordance with the policy and directions of the Kerala government regarding movement in and out of the state.

This comes at a time the Indian government has been extending assistance to the Maldivian government in several forms including medical essentials and equipment. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had earlier reported that 200 Maldivians stranded in nine cities of India will also be repatriated via the country’s national airline, within the next week.

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