The VVIP flight carrying Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kyrgyzstan on June 13 won’t fly through Pakistani airspace despite permission for overflight from Islamabad, people familiar with developments said on Wednesday. The external affairs ministry said the VVIP flight will use a longer route to Bishkek through the airspace of Oman, Iran and Central Asian states. Both sides closed their airspace because of the tensions, though Pakistan granted permission for former external affairs Sushma Swaraj to fly to the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek for the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in May. The people said a number of considerations were kept in mind while deciding on a VVIP flight’s route, including security and efficiency. Travellers from India, Afghanistan and Central Asian countries have been facing problems, including higher air fares and flights of up to 12 hours with a stopover, because of the closure of Pakistani airspace.

Source: Hindustan Times June 12, 2019 08:47 UTC