"Countries that recognise Indian vaccine certificates, and there are terms of reciprocity, India has allowed quarantine-free travel to their citizens," the guidelines said.

If fully vaccinated, the travellers will be allowed to leave the airport and self-monitor their health for 14 days.

If partially or not vaccinated, the travellers need to undertake measures which include submission of sample for post-arrival Covid-19 test, after which they will be allowed to leave the airport, home quarantine for seven days, re-test on the eighth day of arrival in India and if negative, further self-monitor of their health for next seven days.

Ten countries need to follow additional measures on arrival in India. India suspended all visas granted to foreign travellers last year in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Health Ministry has also exempted children below five years from both pre- and post-arrival testing for Covid-19. The guidelines, however, state that in case they are found symptomatic for coronavirus infections on arrival or during the home quarantine period, they shall undergo testing and be treated according to protocol.

As of Nov. 13, there were 99 countries on that list including the United States, U.K., Singapore, Australia, Germany, France and Brazil.

The countries on the list fall into two categories:
1. Those with reciprocal agreements with the Indian government to recognize each other’s vaccine certificates for either locally approved vaccines or those recognized by the World Health Organization;
2. and countries which do not have such agreements but that allow fully vaccinated Indian citizens to travel.

Notable countries missing from that list of 99 countries include China, Japan, South Korea and Indonesia.