India grants Pakistan overflight clearance to aid flood-hit Sri Lanka

New Delhi: In a humanitarian gesture, India has granted Pakistan permission to use its airspace to deliver aid to flood-ravaged Sri Lanka. The country had previously been reporting that India had denied its request for overflight clearance, but India has now confirmed the approval, according to an media report.

Sri Lanka is grappling with the aftermath of Cyclone Dithwa, which caused massive destruction, taking over 200 lives and leaving thousands homeless. The government of Sri Lanka has declared a national emergency in response to the crisis.

In light of the devastation, Pakistan offered to send humanitarian aid to the island nation and requested India’s airspace clearance to facilitate the delivery of relief supplies. Indian officials confirmed that Pakistan submitted a formal request on December 1 at 1 p.m. IST for permission to fly over India’s airspace.

After careful consideration of the humanitarian situation, India granted the overflight clearance by 5 p.m. the same day. The request was processed swiftly, taking only a few hours to clear due to the urgent nature of the relief operations.

This move by India comes as part of its continued support for Sri Lanka in its time of need. Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his condolences to Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the loss of lives and extensive damage caused by the cyclone.

In a phone conversation, Modi assured Rajapaksa of India’s unwavering support and confirmed that India would provide further assistance through Operation Sagar Bandhu. In response to the aid request, India’s defense forces have already mobilized relief operations.

The Indian Navy sent the vessel Sukanya (Trincomalee), which delivered 12 tons of relief materials, bringing the total amount of supplies sent by India to 53 tons. The supplies include essential items such as food, water, and medical equipment.

Indian officials reiterated that India stands firmly with Sri Lanka during this challenging time and is committed to providing all necessary assistance to help the country recover from the disaster.

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