The Indian Government has announced a massive evacuation operation involving naval ships and aircraft to bring back some of the hundreds of thousands of nationals stuck abroad due to corona virus restrictions.

India banned all incoming international flights in late March as it imposed one of the world’s strictest virus lockdowns, leaving vast numbers of workers and students stranded.

A defence spokesman told newsmen that two ships were steaming towards the Maldives and another to the United Arab Emirates where up to 3.3 million Indians live and make up around 30 percent of the population.

A government statement said the evacuations would begin on Thursday and that Indian embassies and high commissions were preparing lists of distressed Indian citizens.