India on Tuesday rejected Pakistan’s accusation that New Delhi delayed overflight clearance for a Pakistani aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, calling the allegation “ridiculous” and “misinformation.”
In an official response, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the request for clearance was received by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad at around 1:00 p.m. on December 1. He said the Government of India processed the request “expeditiously” and granted permission the same day at 5:30 p.m., according to the itinerary submitted by Pakistan.
The Indian statement came after Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs alleged that the aircraft had been left waiting for more than 60 hours due to a lack of timely approval from India. Islamabad also claimed the limited clearance provided was “operationally impractical.”
India dismissed the accusation, stating that New Delhi remained committed to supporting Sri Lanka during the ongoing disaster and has been providing assistance “through all available means.”
Sri Lanka is currently dealing with widespread flooding and landslides caused by severe weather, prompting a wave of international humanitarian support. (Newswire)