China finally allows India to send military aircraft to evacuate remaining citizens from Wuhan

Beijing has finally allowed New Delhi to send a military aircraft to Wuhan in Hubei province of China – to deliver to the local authorities around 15 tonnes of medical supplies and to bring back home nearly 100 Indian citizens still left in the “ground zero” of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The C-17 aircraft of Indian Air Force flew from New Delhi with a consignment of masks, gloves and another emergency medical equipment – a gift from India to China to support the endeavour of the local authorities in the communist country to contain the novel coronavirus outbreak.

A diplomatic spat had broken out last week with New Delhi accusing Beijing of “deliberately delaying” granting it permission to send the aircraft, although the request for clearance was submitted as early as on February 13 and a flight plan was submitted on February 15. India had initially planned to send the aircraft on February 20, but had to delay it almost by a week due to delay in receiving the clearance from the Chinese Government.

A spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, however, had dismissed the allegation.

“This assistance has been provided in the wake the Covid 19 outbreak in China and the request by China to provide supplies such as masks and medical equipment,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had written to Chinese President Xi Jinping on February 2020 expressing the solidarity of the people of India and the Government of India with the people and Government of China and also offered assistance to China.

“The medical supplies will help augment China’s efforts to control the outbreak of this infection which has been declared as a Public Health Emergency by the World Health Organisation,” Raveesh Kumar, spokesperson of the MEA, said.

“The assistance being sent today is also a mark of friendship and solidarity from the people of India towards the people of China as the two countries also celebrate 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year.”

The aircraft would also bring back nearly 100 Indian citizens, who could not be evacuated earlier and who still wanted to leave the epicentre of the outbreak. It would also airlift citizens of some of the neighbouring countries of India.