New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not fly over the Pakistani airspace, while travelling to Kyrgyz capital Bishkek on Wednesday to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the External Affairs Ministry said. Instead, his aircraft will travel via Oman, Iran and Central Asian countries.
India requested Pakistan to let Modi’s aircraft fly over its airspace when he travels to Bishkek. Pakistan accorded an “in principle” approval to India’s request.
Previously, 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.
“The government of India had explored two options for the route to be taken by the VVIP aircraft to Bishkek. A decision has now been taken that the VVIP aircraft will fly via Oman, Iran and Central Asian countries on the way to Bishkek,” MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.
He was responding to media queries regarding the route to be taken by prime minister’s aircraft while travelling to Bishkek.
PM Modi is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit. Pakistan PM Imran Khan will also be present at the summit.
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Ms Kalinga