Pakistan Gets India's Go-Ahead To Use Airspace For Sri Lanka Flood Relief Flights

India permitted Pakistan to use its airspace for humanitarian aid flights to Sri Lanka, enabling Islamabad to dispatch relief supplies to the disaster-hit island nation following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah, sources told CNN-News18 on Monday.

According to officials, the Indian High Commission sent written clearance to Pakistan’s Foreign Office earlier in the evening, allowing overflight access specifically for relief missions. The flights are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, December 2.

Sri Lanka has been grappling with severe flooding and landslides triggered by the cyclone, prompting Colombo to issue an international appeal for aid.

The Sri Lankan government has deployed military helicopters and emergency teams to reach stranded communities

as rescue operations continue.

At least 355 people have been confirmed dead, while 366 others remain missing, Sri Lankan officials said on Monday, underscoring the scale of the humanitarian crisis.

Pakistan’s approval to proceed with relief sorties follows its decision to send emergency assistance to Sri Lanka, including medicines, food supplies, tents, and other essential items.

The Indian green signal now clears the final logistical hurdle for Islamabad’s humanitarian mission.

Officials said the gesture marks a rare moment of cooperation amid strained relations between the two neighbours, with humanitarian necessity taking precedence in the wake of Sri Lanka’s worst natural disaster in years.

India had closed its airspace to Pakistan on April 24, two days after the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people were killed. Pakistan responded with the same move. Since then, both countries have extended the closure through monthly NOTAMs.