BIG move by Indian govt as it opens airspace for Pakistan after Operation Sindoor for…, denies claims of…
Officials confirmed that Pakistan had requested same-day permission to fly over Indian airspace at around 1 pm (IST) on Monday. Read here to know how the Indian government responded to Pakistan’s request.
India has categorically rejected the “baseless and misleading” allegations circulating in Pakistani media that New Delhi had denied permission to use its airspace, and granted expedited permission to Pakistan’s aid plane carrying relief goods to cyclone-affected Sri Lanka.
Officials confirmed that the overflight request was sent by Pakistan at approximately 1 pm IST on Monday, seeking permission to fly over Indian airspace on the same day. Considering the purpose of the request (to provide humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka), India processed the request with extraordinary speed.
The permission was officially granted and communicated to the Government of Pakistan through official channels at 5:30 pm (IST) on Monday, officials said, adding that the permission was processed within a notice period of at least four hours.
Officials emphasized that this permission was a purely humanitarian gesture, although Pakistan continued to ban Indian airlines from using its airspace.
India’s response follows reports by some Pakistani media outlets claiming that India “refuses to give airspace” for aid flights.
Authorities have categorically called these claims “baseless and misleading.”
Sri Lanka suffered major floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah. At least 334 people have been confirmed dead across Sri Lanka as authorities continue to battle rising floodwaters in parts of the capital Colombo.
India sent 53 tons of relief materials to Sri Lanka as part of Operation Sagar Bandhu as part of the emergency response to Cyclone Ditwah.
According to the official statement, India delivered 9.5 tonnes of emergency supplies from two Indian Navy Ships in Colombo; It deployed three Indian Air Force aircraft to airlift 31.5 tonnes of relief material including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, ready-to-eat food items, medicines and surgical equipment, two BHISHM cubes along with a five-man medical team for on-site training and 80-man special Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to assist in rescue efforts.
Additionally, New Delhi sent another 12 tonnes of relief supplies to Indian Navy Ship Sukanya (in Trincomalee), taking the total amount to 53 tonnes.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)
