MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. File | Photograph Credit score: ANI
India on Tuesday (December 2, 2025) trashed as “ridiculous” Pakistan’s declare that its request for utilizing Indian airspace to ship humanitarian assist to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka was denied by New Delhi.
“We reject the ridiculous assertion made by the Ministry of Overseas Affairs of Pakistan, which is yet one more try of spreading anti-India misinformation,” Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated,
The request for overflight clearance for a Pakistani plane carrying humanitarian help to Sri Lanka was acquired by the Indian excessive fee in Islamabad at round 1 pm on Monday (December 1, 2025), he stated.
“Given the urgency of humanitarian help, the federal government of India processed the request expeditiously the identical day and granted the overflight permission as per the itinerary proposed at 5:30 pm on December 1,” Mr. Jaiswal added.
“India stays dedicated to aiding the individuals of Sri Lanka in these difficult occasions by means of all out there means,” he stated in response to media queries on the difficulty.
Mr. Jaiswal’s remarks got here hours after Pakistan alleged that its aid operations for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka have been being “hampered by lack of cooperation” by India because it delayed permission to make use of its airspace.
“India continues to dam humanitarian help from Pakistan to Sri Lanka. The particular plane carrying Pakistan’s humanitarian help to Sri Lanka continues to face delays for over 60 hours now awaiting flight clearance from India,” the Pakistan Overseas Workplace alleged.
Sri Lanka has been reeling beneath flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse triggered by a cyclone.
India has launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to assist the island nation get well from the devastation.
No less than 410 individuals have been killed, and 336 are lacking as of Tuesday (December 2) morning within the catastrophic floods and landslides, in response to Sri Lankan authorities.
Printed – December 03, 2025 03:19 am IST