India has firmly refuted recent claims from Pakistani media alleging that it denied airspace access to Pakistan's aid flight bound for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka. In reality, India swiftly approved Pakistan's request to use its airspace for the humanitarian mission. The request was made around 1 PM IST on Monday, and India granted clearance within just four hours, by 5:30 PM, emphasizing the speed and priority it gave to facilitating relief efforts for Sri Lanka amid the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Officials highlighted that this approval was purely a humanitarian gesture, especially significant given the ongoing ban Pakistan imposes on Indian airlines using its airspace. India, under the name of Operation Sagar Bandhu, has been actively supporting Sri Lanka by sending relief materials, including tents, blankets, food items, medicines, and deploying rescue teams and medical personnel. The cyclone has caused severe flooding and landslides in Sri Lanka, with at least 334 people reported dead and extensive damage in parts of Colombo and surrounding areas.

These official statements counter the narrative propagated by some Pakistani outlets, which inaccurately claimed that India had refused permission for the flight. Indian authorities labelled these allegations as baseless and misleading. The humanitarian context and the urgency of relief efforts were recognized by New Delhi, which acted promptly to facilitate aid despite the often tense political relations between the two neighbors.

India’s prompt clearance also reflects its longstanding policy of extending humanitarian aid beyond political differences, as seen in various instances of disaster relief worldwide. The operational efficiency to process such permissions swiftly—within hours—underlines the priority given to humanitarian concerns over political posturing. This case serves as an example of how international cooperation persists among neighbors in times of crisis, despite broader political tensions.

India’s active involvement in the Cyclone Ditwah relief also includes the mobilization of Navy ships and Air Force aircraft carrying substantial loads of emergency supplies and support teams to assist with rescue and rehabilitation in Sri Lanka. This comprehensive relief operation underscores India's commitment to aiding regional relief efforts in South Asia with urgency and compassion.