Cyclone Aid: India Denies Pakistan’s Misleading Airspace Claims

New Delhi has officially rebuked Pakistani media reports falsely accusing India of obstructing a humanitarian aid flight to Sri Lanka. Officials have labelled the allegations as “baseless and misleading,” asserting that Pakistan’s request for airspace clearance was handled with remarkable speed. Pakistan’s request for overflight permission was lodged around 1:00 PM IST on Monday, with an immediate clearance desired for the same day. Recognizing the critical need for humanitarian aid in cyclone-stricken Sri Lanka, India prioritized this request. The approval process was completed, and notification sent to Pakistan by 5:30 PM IST, a mere four-hour turnaround. This decision was made purely on humanitarian considerations, despite Pakistan’s policy of denying its airspace to Indian flights. Pakistani media outlets are reportedly engaged in spreading fabricated news. Officials reiterate that all international flight requests are processed according to standard procedures and global norms. Sri Lanka is facing a severe crisis due to landslides and floods caused by Cyclone Ditwah, resulting in over 300 confirmed deaths. India’s ‘Operation Sagar Bandhu’ is actively providing extensive aid. The Prime Minister has expressed solidarity and assured full support to the neighboring country. Since November 28, India has transported 53 tonnes of essential relief materials to Sri Lanka by air and sea. The evacuation of over 2,000 stranded Indian nationals from the affected island has also been successfully completed. India’s NDRF teams are actively conducting search and rescue missions in the most affected regions, providing support to families impacted by the floods and ensuring their well-being. Over 150 people have been directly assisted through these ongoing operations.