- By Ajeet Kumar
- Wed, 23 Apr 2025 09:00 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's special flight, en route to Delhi from Saudi Arabia's Jeddah, avoided Pakistani airspace on Wednesday following the terror attack on Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. According to multiple media reports, the Prime Minister had used Pakistani airspace on Tuesday in order to reach Jeddah. He was originally scheduled to return on Wednesday night. However, he arrived in India early Wednesday morning after a terrorist attack took place in Pahalgam on Tuesday.
PM's plane does not require permission
Notably, this was not the first time when the Indian Prime Minister's special plane entered the Pakistani airspace. He often uses the Pakistani airspace during foreign tours. "The Prime Minister’s aircraft does not need special consent to fly over a country and has blanket permission. In some cases, the PM’s aircraft is allocated a call sign, the same way an aircraft carrying heads of state from Pakistan, are allocated call signs such as 'Pakistan 1'," The Dawn reported citing sources. However, on multipe occassion, Pakistan denied permission to pass PM Modi's plane through its airspace. Pakistan fully shut its airspace to India from February 26, 2019.
PM Modi cut short Saudi Arabia visit
PM Modi arrived in the national capital, cutting short his state visit to Saudi Arabia, following the terrorist attack. PM Modi was on a two-day State visit to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. PM Modi skipped the official dinner hosted by Saudi Arabia and decided to cut short his visit, according to government sources.
Moments after his arrival in Delhi early Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a briefing meeting at the Palam Airport with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other officials, in view of the recent terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam. Earlier, the PM condemned the attack and vowed that those behind this attack would be brought to justice.
"I strongly condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable, and it will get even stronger."