India grounds domestic passenger flights indefinitely

No domestic commercial passenger flight would be allowed to operate in the country from March 25 onwards in order to restrict travel amid the coronavirus pandemic, the Union civil aviation ministry said in a statement on Monday. 

India has already banned international flights for a week from Sunday. 

"The operations of domestic schedule commercial airlines shall cease with effect from the midnight that is 23.59 hours IST (Indian Standard Time) on March 24, 2020," a ministry spokesperson said. 

"Airlines have to plan operations so as to land at their destinations before 23.59 hours on March 24, 2020," the spokesperson added. 

However, the spokesperson clarified that the restrictions would not apply to cargo flights. 

Earlier during the day, aviation regulator DGCA had clarified on Twitter that all cargo flights -- domestic and international -- can operate as usual.