India on Thursday conveyed approval for Japan to pick up Ukraine-bound humanitarian supplies from Mumbai using ‘commercial’ aircraft. The official comments came after Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s policy chief Sanae Takaichi said Delhi has declined Tokyo’s request to fly a Japanese military aircraft to Mumbai for an upcoming major humanitarian mission to Ukraine.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Arindam Bagchi however said one aircraft of Japan’s Self–Defence Forces (SDF) has been given overflight permission.
“We had received a request from Japan for permission to land in Mumbai to pick up humanitarian supplies from UNHCR depot for Ukraine and its neighbouring countries. We have conveyed our approval for picking of such supplies from India using commercial aircraft,” said Mr. Bagchi.
