The DGCA said the advisory was issued after a surge in safety incidents around the world where lithium batteries were suspected to be the cause. Several other countries and major airlines — including Emirates and Singapore Airlines — have also enforced similar curbs to avoid safety hazards.

Owaisi was referring to the dramatic US attack on Venezuela, which resulted in the seizure of its president Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. The two are currently being held at a detention centre in New York, where the US says they will be prosecuted on a number of charges.