India Dismisses Pakistan's Overflight Denial Claim as 'Ridiculous' Amid Sri Lanka Aid Efforts

India Rejects Pakistan's Allegations

New Delhi, India – India on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, vehemently dismissed claims by Pakistan that it had denied overflight clearance for a Pakistani aircraft carrying humanitarian aid to cyclone-hit Sri Lanka. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) characterized Pakistan's accusation as 'ridiculous' and 'yet another attempt of spreading anti-India misinformation'.

The diplomatic exchange unfolded as Sri Lanka grapples with the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, which has caused widespread flooding, landslides, and a significant loss of life, with reports indicating a death toll ranging from 334 to 410 people. Both India and Pakistan have initiated aid efforts to assist the island nation.

Expeditious Clearance, Says India

According to India's MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, the request for overflight clearance for the Pakistani aircraft was received by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad at approximately 1:00 PM (IST) on Monday, December 1, 2025.

Given the urgent humanitarian nature of the mission, the Indian government processed the request expeditiously, granting permission by 5:30 PM (IST) on the same day, December 1, 2025. This means the clearance was provided within approximately four hours of the request being made.

Mr. Jaiswal reiterated India's commitment to assisting the people of Sri Lanka 'in these challenging times through all available means'.

Pakistan's Counter-Claims and Context

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs had alleged that its relief operations were being 'hampered by lack of cooperation' from India, claiming delays of over 60 hours in obtaining flight clearance. Pakistan also stated that the partial clearance eventually granted by India was 'operationally impractical', citing a limited time window and no assurance for the return journey.

This diplomatic spat occurs against a backdrop of existing airspace restrictions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Both India and Pakistan had extended an airspace ban on each other's airlines earlier in 2025 following heightened tensions. Indian officials highlighted that the overflight permission was granted purely on humanitarian grounds, despite Pakistan's standing ban on Indian flights using its airspace.

Sri Lanka's Crisis and International Response

Sri Lanka has been severely impacted by Cyclone Ditwah, experiencing extensive flooding and landslides. The country's President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, declared a state of emergency and called for international support.

India has launched its own relief initiative, Operation Sagar Bandhu, and has already delivered 53 tonnes of relief material to Sri Lanka via air and sea since November 28. The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) in Sri Lanka reported that over 1.4 million people from 407,594 families have been affected by the severe weather conditions.