New Delhi, Apr 2 (IANS): The Home Ministry on Thursday exempted from lockdown norms the transit arrangements for foreign nationals in India and release of those quarantined after they arrived in India after February 15.

The Ministry allowed the exemption in a fresh addendum to the 21-day nationwide lockdown imposed since March 24 midnight to contain spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

As per the addendum, "transit arrangements for foreign nationals in India and release of quarantined persons, who have arrived in India after February 15, after expiry of their quarantine period and being tested Covid- 19 negative" have been exempted from the lockdown measures.

This is the third addendum in continuation to the Ministry of Home Affairs' earlier guidelines in exercise of the powers, conferred under the Disaster Management Act during the lockdown.

The move comes after the Home Ministry was apprised of presence of several foreign nationals stranded in different parts of the country, and requests from foreign governments for evacuation of their nationals.