India Dismisses Pakistan’s Claims Over Delayed Humanitarian Flight Clearance

India has firmly rejected allegations from Pakistan that it deliberately delayed overflight clearance for an aircraft carrying humanitarian aid to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka, calling the accusations “ridiculous” and another attempt to spread anti-India misinformation.

According to a statement by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Pakistan submitted its request for airspace clearance around 1 PM (IST) on December 1, 2025. Despite the short notice, Indian authorities processed the application expeditiously, granting permission by 5:30 PM the same day.

“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,” Jaiswal stated, emphasizing India’s commitment to assisting Sri Lanka through all available means during the crisis.

The diplomatic spat comes amid Sri Lanka’s struggle with the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which has claimed at least 355 lives, with more than 300 people still missing. The cyclone struck the island nation on Friday, triggering devastating landslides in central hilly regions and causing the worst flooding Sri Lanka has experienced in a decade.

Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake described the disaster as “the largest and most challenging” natural calamity in the country’s history, noting it was unprecedented for the entire nation to be affected simultaneously.

The MEA pointed out that this incident follows a pattern of misinformation campaigns originating from Pakistan, including recent false reports regarding India’s participation in an Oxford Union debate. Pakistani media outlets had claimed India refused to grant airspace for humanitarian flights headed to flood-ravaged Sri Lanka—allegations India categorically denies.

India has already launched its own relief initiative, “Operation Sagar Bandhu,” to provide assistance to Sri Lanka. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with President Dissanayake on Monday, expressing condolences for the loss of lives and offering support during the crisis.

The dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between the two South Asian neighbors, where even humanitarian efforts can become entangled in their complex bilateral relationship. India and Pakistan have a history of restricting each other’s use of airspace during periods of heightened tensions.

For Sri Lanka, the diplomatic disagreement comes at a particularly challenging time as the country battles one of its worst natural disasters while still recovering from a severe economic crisis that began in 2022.

Regional cooperation remains crucial in disaster response scenarios, with both India and Pakistan historically playing important roles in South Asian humanitarian efforts. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) framework, though weakened in recent years, was originally designed to facilitate exactly this type of regional emergency response.

As rescue and recovery efforts continue in Sri Lanka, international aid from multiple countries is arriving to support local authorities in providing relief to affected communities, particularly in the worst-hit central highlands and southwestern regions where landslides have destroyed entire villages.