✈️ Humanitarian Diplomacy: India Grants Rapid Airspace Clearance, Trashing Pakistan’s Delay Claims

MEA Rejects ‘Ridiculous’ Allegations, Approves Pakistani Aid Flight to Cyclone-Hit Sri Lanka in Under Five Hours

The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Cyclone Ditwah-ravaged Sri Lanka briefly morphed into a diplomatic flashpoint between India and Pakistan. The Pakistan Foreign Office alleged that India was deliberately delaying clearance for its aircraft, carrying humanitarian aid, to use Indian airspace, effectively “hampering” relief efforts. However, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) swiftly and decisively rejected these claims, calling them “ridiculous” and an attempt to spread anti-India misinformation, thereby dominating the news cycle around the India Pakistan Airspace Aid row.

The Confirmed Timeline of Overflight Clearance

The MEA issued a detailed timeline to rebut Pakistan’s claims of a 60-hour delay, showcasing a prompt and professional response on humanitarian grounds:

• Request Submitted: Pakistan’s request for overflight clearance for its aid aircraft was formally received by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad at approximately 1:00 PM IST on December 1, 2025.
• Permission Granted: The Government of India processed the request expeditiously and communicated the final permission to Pakistan at 5:30 PM IST the same day.

This means the clearance for the India Pakistan Airspace Aid flight was processed in just 4.5 hours, contradicting the Pakistani Foreign Office’s public allegations of prolonged delay. Indian officials underscored that the gesture was made solely on humanitarian considerations, despite Pakistan maintaining a ban on Indian commercial airlines using its airspace.

Diplomatic Context and Regional Response

The dispute underscores the ongoing diplomatic tension between the two nations, even during a major regional disaster. While Pakistan pursued what media termed “aid diplomacy,” it was simultaneously criticized online for photographs shared by its High Commission that appeared to show relief packages, including food items, with expiry dates from October 2024.

Meanwhile, India remains at the forefront of the disaster response, having launched Operation Sagar Bandhu, delivering over 53 tonnes of relief material and deploying air, naval, and NDRF assets to the island nation. The rapid processing of the India Pakistan Airspace Aid request reaffirms India’s position as the “First Responder” in the region.