India Allows Pakistan to Use Its Airspace To Deliver Aid To Cyclone-Hit Sri Lanka, Busts Islamabad’s Lies Again

As Sri Lanka is yet to recover from the devastation caused by the floods and landslides due to Cyclone Ditwah, India expeditiously heeded to Pakistan's request to use Indian airspace to send humanitarian

assistance to cyclone-hit island nation. India on Monday allowed Pakistan to use its airspace to deliver aid to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka. The official request for overflight was submitted by Pakistan at around 1300 hours (Indian time) on Monday seeking permission to fly over Indian airspace, reported PTI citing people familiar with the matter. Given the fact that the request pertained to humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, India expeditiously cleared the request and intimated the same to Pakistan at 1730 hours (Indian time) on Monday through official channels, it said. This gesture from India despite Pakistan having banned its airspace for Indian airlines was considered purely on humanitarian grounds, the people told news agency. It was processed at the shortest notice period of four hours, they added.

India's decisions on airspace permissions are governed by standard operational, technical and security assessments, not political considerations, the people said.However, several Pakistani outlets, in yet another attempt to spread fake news, said that India has not granted overflight facility to Pakistan to send aid to Sri Lanka. The "fake" reports in Pakistani media were immediately denied. "Pakistani media, as usual, is indulging in propaganda and peddling fake news. These allegations are baseless and misleading. All requests for overflight or transit are processed strictly in accordance with established procedures and international norms," a person told the news agency. Reports in the Pakistani media are both inaccurate and irresponsible, they said.

India First Responder: 53 Tonnes Relief Material Delivered, 2000 People Brought Back

India launched Operation Sagar Bandhu to aid crisis-hit Sri Lanka. Under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India delivered 53 tonnes of relief material to Sri Lanka via air and sea since November 28, while more than 2000 stranded Indians were brought back. In coordination with the Sri Lanka Air Force, Chetak helicopters from India Navy's aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and MI-17 helicopters of the IAF conducted extensive rescue operations, airlifting stranded people, including pregnant women, infants, and those critically injured. India also deployed three IAF aircraft for airlifting another 31.5 tons of relief materials, including tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, ready-to-eat food items, medicines and surgical equipment, two BHISHM cubes along with a five-person medical team for on-site training, and 80-person special Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to assist in rescue efforts; and despatched another 12 tons of relief supplies on-board Indian Navy Ship Sukanya.(With inputs from PTI)