Australian residents and citizens who have been in India within 14 days of the date they plan to return home will be banned from entering Australia as of Monday, while those who disobey will face fines and jail, local authorities said.

The emergency determination, made late on Friday, is part of strict measures to stop travelers to Australia from the world's second most populous nation as it contends with a surge in COVID-19 cases and deaths.

The restrictions come into effect starting May 3 and breaching the ban risks civil penalties and up to five years of imprisonment, health minister Greg Hunt said in a statement.