India clears Pakistani plane to Sri Lanka, rejects all false claims:

News Topical, Digital Desk : India has given fast track clearance to a Pakistani aid plane carrying relief material to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka, strongly rejecting "baseless and misleading" claims circulated in Pakistani media that New Delhi had denied permission to use its airspace.

Action taken on Pakistan's request

Officials confirmed that Pakistan submitted a request to overfly Indian airspace at around 13:00 (IST) on Monday, seeking permission to fly over Indian airspace that same day. Given the purpose of the request—to deliver humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka—India processed the request with extraordinary speed.

Permission granted within four hours

The permission was officially granted and communicated to the Pakistan government through official channels at 6:30 PM (IST) on Monday, within a minimum four-hour notice period, officials said. The officials stressed that the approval was a purely humanitarian gesture, made despite Pakistan banning Indian airlines from using its airspace.

Pakistani claims rejected

India's response comes in the wake of reports by some Pakistani media outlets claiming that India "refused to grant airspace" for aid flights. Officials categorically dismissed these allegations as "baseless and misleading." Sri Lanka has suffered massive flooding due to Cyclone Ditwa.

India sends aid to Sri Lanka

At least 334 people have been confirmed dead in Sri Lanka due to Cyclone Ditwa, while people are grappling with rising floodwaters in many parts of Colombo. India has sent 53 tonnes of relief material to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu to deal with Cyclone Ditwa. According to an official release, India has sent 9.5 tonnes of emergency rations from two Indian Navy ships in Colombo. India has sent tents, tarpaulins, blankets, hygiene kits, ready-to-eat food items, medicines and surgical equipment, and two Bhishma cubes to Sri Lanka as relief material.