India has firmly rejected Pakistan’s allegations regarding delays in the overflight clearance for planes carrying relief material to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement on Tuesday called the claims circulating on Pakistani media as “baseless and misleading”. He said, “We reject the ridiculous statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan, which is yet another attempt to spread anti-India misinformation.”
Clearance issued within hours
Responding to questions, Jaiswal clarified that New Delhi received Pakistan’s request through diplomatic channels on Monday and that the clearance was issued within hours. “The request for overflight clearance for Pakistani aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka was received by the High Commission of India in Islamabad at around 1300 hrs on December 01, 2025,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jaiswal underscored that India acted promptly as the situation in Sri Lanka required immediate assistance. “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 1730 hrs on December 01, 2025,” he said in response to media queries.
‘India remains committed to..’: MEA
Reaffirming the country’s steady support for Colombo, the Ministry of External Affairs noted that New Delhi has consistently stood with Sri Lanka during natural calamities and relief operations. “India remains committed to assisting the people of Sri Lanka in these challenging times through all available means,” he stated.
Our response to media queries regarding a statement by Pakistan on overflight clearance⬇️
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) December 2, 2025
🔗 https://t.co/RyOD1UDR1o pic.twitter.com/2JO7RhVqfi
Pakistan alleges India blocked relief flight
Despite detailing the immediate approval issued on December 1, Islamabad accused India of blocking the humanitarian aid. In a post on X, the Pakistan Foreign Office claimed “India continues to block humanitarian assistance from Pakistan to Sri Lanka,” alleging that a flight had been awaiting clearance “for over 60 hours now”.
Pakistan further alleged, “the partial flight clearance issued by India last night, after 48 hours, was operationally impractical: time-bound for just a few hours and without validity for the return flight, severely hindering this urgent relief Mission for the brotherly people of Sri Lanka.”
Sri Lanka High Commission shares photos of relief items
Islamabad, however, faced criticism online after its High Commission in Sri Lanka shared pictures of relief items that were dispatched. “Relief packages from Pakistan have been successfully delivered to assist our brothers and sisters affected by the recent floods in Sri Lanka, which signifies our unwavering solidarity.”
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