PM Modi will visit Kyrgyzstan to attend Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit on June 13
India has requested Pakistan to let Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aircraft fly over its airspace to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan where he has to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on June 13 and June 14, said a senior government official.
Pakistan had fully closed its airspace on February 26 after an Indian Air Force (IAF) strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror camp in Balakot. Since then, it has only opened two routes, both of them pass through southern Pakistan, of the total 11.
"We have requested Pakistan to let the PM's plane fly over its airspace through one of the routes that have not been opened as yet. The PM has to attend the SCO meet on June 13 and June 14," a senior government official said.
HOW IT ESCALATED
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- Pakistan had fully closed its airspace on February 26 after an Indian Air Force strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot
- Apart from the two routes, Pak’s airspace remains closed for commercial airliners
- The closure of airspace between Kabul and New Delhi has decreased Afghanistan’s exports
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Pakistan had given special permission to India's then external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to fly directly through Pakistani airspace to attend the SCO Foreign Ministers' meet in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, on May 21.
Apart from the two routes through southern Pakistan, the neighbouring country's airspace remains closed for commercial airliners.
The IAF announced on May 31 that all temporary restrictions imposed on Indian airspace post the Balakot airstrike have been removed. However, it is unlikely to benefit any commercial airliners unless Pakistan reciprocates and opens its complete airspace. Among Indian airlines, the international operations of Air India and IndiGo have been affected by the closure of Pakistani airspace.
IndiGo, India's largest airline by share in the domestic passenger market, has been unable to start direct flights from Delhi to Istanbul due to the closure of Pakistani airspace. The low-cost carrier started the Delhi-Istanbul flight in March this year. It has to take the longer route every time over the Arabian Sea and make a stop either at Doha in Qatar or at Ahmedabad in Gujarat for refuelling. Similarly, full-service carrier Air India is unable to fly non-stop flights from Delhi to the US since the closure of Pakistani airspace.
Meanwhile, the closure of Pakistan's airspace to commercial flights between Kabul and New Delhi has decreased Afghanistan's exports, including dry fruit, vegetables, fresh fruit, carpets, and handicrafts, to India by 30 per cent, officials said on Saturday. Tolo News confirmed that Afghan farmers and investors will have to face losses if the airspace remains closed during the vegetable and fruit harvesting season, after quoting Mir Zaman Popal, an official at the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ACCI).
"Closure of Pakistan's airspace to Afghan flights is a serious matter and we know that the challenges will increase if the situation prevails," Popal was quoted as saying. Last month, Pakistan said its airspace on its eastern border with India will remain closed until June 14.
While Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan promised President Ashraf Ghani on the sidelines of the 14th summit of the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation in Saudi Arabia to resolve the airspace problem, but so far, nothing has happened in this regard. Pakistan lies in the middle of a vital aviation corridor whereby the airspace restrictions impacts hundreds of commercial flights each day, extending flight timings for passengers.
With input from agencies
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