India Formally Requests Pakistan To Use Its Airspace For PM Modi’s Flight To US

India has formally requested Pakistan to allow the use of its airspace for PM Narendra Modi’s flight to the United States, Pakistani media has reported. Earlier, Pakistan had refused permission to Indian President Ram Nath Kovind’s aircraft fly over it during an official trip to Iceland.

“India has formally requested Pakistan to allow the use of its air space for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flight to New York, US. Pakistan to respond after consultations: Pakistan media,” news agency ANI reported on Wednesday.

Indian PM Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the US from September 21-27. Earlier this month, Pakistan had refused permission to President Ram Nath Kovind’s aircraft fly over it during an official trip to Iceland.

“India regretted Islamabad’s decision to dismiss overflight clearance for the VVIP special flight and said, We regret the decision of the government of Pakistan to deny overflight clearance for the VVIP special flight which is otherwise granted routinely by any normal country. We call upon Pakistan to recognise the futility of such unilateral actions,” he had said.

Pakistan had fully closed its airspace in February after an Indian Air Force strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot. The country opened its airspace for all flights except for New Delhi, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur on March 27. The country fully opened its airspace for all civilian traffic on July 16.