Pakistan Says India Blocking Aid Flight; India Says Permission Was Granted In Hours

Hours after reports suggested that India had granted clearance to a Pakistani humanitarian aid flight bound for flood-hit Sri Lanka, Islamabad once again alleged on Tuesday that New Delhi was denying it access to Indian airspace.

In a post on X, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs claimed the aircraft carrying humanitarian relief had been delayed for over 60 hours due to India’s refusal. “India continues to block humanitarian assistance from Pakistan to Sri Lanka. The special aircraft carrying Pakistan’s humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka continues to face delay for over 60 hours now awaiting flight clearance from India,” the ministry wrote.

It further alleged that the “partial flight clearance” India issued after 48 hours was “operationally impractical,” as it was valid only for a few hours and did not include permission for the return journey. This, Pakistan said, “severely hindered this urgent relief mission for the brotherly people of Sri Lanka.”

The accusation came just hours after India rejected Pakistani media reports that New Delhi had refused access to its airspace. Indian officials clarified that they had acted promptly given the urgency of the mission.

According to reports, Pakistan formally submitted its request around 1:00 pm (IST) on December 1 seeking same-day permission to use Indian airspace. India granted the clearance within a few hours, the officials said, refuting claims of delay or obstruction.