India News | Approved Picking Up of Humanitarian Aid from Mumbai by Japan's Commercial Aircraft: MEA
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. India on Thursday said it has approved the picking up of humanitarian supplies from a UN depot in Mumbai by Japan's commercial aircraft for distribution in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries.
New Delhi, Apr 21 (PTI) India on Thursday said it has approved the picking up of humanitarian supplies from a UN depot in Mumbai by Japan's commercial aircraft for distribution in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said India also received a request for overflight clearance for Japanese SDF (Self Defence Forces) aircraft carrying humanitarian cargo for Ukraine and it has given the approval according to established norms.
His response at a media briefing came when asked about reported comments by Sanae Takaichi, an official of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, that India has refused to allow the landing of an SDF plane deployed for delivering humanitarian aid to displaced Ukrainians.
"We had received a request from Japan for permission to land in Mumbai to pick up humanitarian supplies from the UNHCR depot for Ukraine and its neighbouring countries," Bagchi said.
"We have conveyed our approval for the picking of such supplies from India using commercial aircraft," he said.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a UN agency mandated to provide aid to refugees and displaced people.
"We had also received a request for overflight clearance for Japanese SDF aircraft carrying humanitarian cargo for Ukraine. This was processed and approved as per established norms," he said.
When asked to clarify whether India refused to allow SDF aircraft to land in India, Bagchi reiterated that India approved picking up of humanitarian aid by Japan using commercial aircraft.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)