India Refutes Pakistan's False Claims About Airspace Denial for Sri Lanka Humanitarian Aid

Sri Lanka continues to face the devastating aftermath of a cyclone that has caused widespread flooding, landslides, and infrastructure collapse across the island nation.

India has firmly rejected Pakistan's allegations regarding airspace denial for humanitarian aid to Sri Lanka, labeling these claims as "ridiculous" and misleading.

Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, "We reject the ridiculous statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, which is yet another attempt of spreading anti-India misinformation."

According to Jaiswal, the Indian high commission in Islamabad received Pakistan's request for overflight clearance at approximately 1 pm on Monday for an aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka.

Emphasizing India's prompt response to the humanitarian emergency, Jaiswal clarified, "Given the urgency of humanitarian assistance, the government of India processed the request expeditiously the same day and granted the overflight permission as per the itinerary proposed at 5:30 pm on December 1."

Jaiswal's response came after Pakistan claimed that its relief operations for cyclone-affected Sri Lanka were being "hampered by lack of cooperation" from India, alleging that its special aircraft faced delays exceeding 60 hours while awaiting flight clearance.

"India remains committed to assisting the people of Sri Lanka in these challenging times through all available means," Jaiswal affirmed in his statement addressing media inquiries.

The cyclone has inflicted severe damage on Sri Lanka, with authorities reporting at least 410 fatalities and 336 people missing as of Tuesday morning due to catastrophic floods and landslides.

In response to the crisis, India has launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to support Sri Lanka's recovery efforts from this natural disaster.