‘Ridiculous’: India snubs Pakistan’s claim on Lanka aid flight, says clearance was granted the same day

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday dismissed Pakistan’s allegation that India delayed overflight clearance for an aid flight to Sri Lanka, calling the claim “ridiculous”.

According to the MEA, Pakistan submitted a request at around 1 pm (IST) on 1 December 2025, seeking permission for an aircraft to transit Indian airspace the same day as part of a humanitarian mission to Sri Lanka. Pakistani media had claimed that India did not approve the request in time, causing delays to relief efforts for flood-hit Sri Lanka.

Responding to queries, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “We reject the ridiculous statement made by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan which is yet another attempt of spreading anti-India misinformation. The request for overflight clearance for Pakistani aircraft carrying humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka was received by the High Commission of India in Islamabad at around 1300 hrs on December 1, 2025.”

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“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 at 1730 hrs on December 01, 2025. India remains committed to assisting the people of Sri Lanka in these challenging times through all available means," he added.

India also pointed to a pattern of misinformation emerging from Pakistan, noting that this episode follows recent attempts by Pakistani media and diplomatic handles to circulate false claims — including incorrect reports about India’s participation in an Oxford Union debate. Sources reiterated that India’s handling of airspace permissions is professional, rule-based and consistent with international aviation norms.

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Earlier, Pakistani media falsely reported that India had refused airspace access to Islamabad for humanitarian flights to Sri Lanka, allegedly delaying assistance to affected communities.