India opens to vaccinated foreign tourists after 18 months

People wait for their relatives and friends to come out of the Indira Gandhi International airport, in New Delhi (AP)

India has begun allowing fully vaccinated foreign tourists to enter the country on regular commercial flights on Monday, in the latest easing of coronavirus restrictions as infections fall and vaccinations rise.

Tourists entering India must be fully vaccinated, follow all Covid-19 protocols and test negative for the virus within 72 hours of their flight, according to the health ministry.