India denies entry of Japanese aid plane to Ukraine

An aircraft belonging to the Japan Self-Defense Force is used to transport aid – Photo: AZLYRICS

According to the SCMP newspaper, according to the original schedule, the aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) will receive relief items from the United Nations office in India and the United Arab Emirates. UAE).

They will then move them to Poland and Romania, whose borders are close to Ukraine.

However, at the April 21 morning meeting of the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) Policy Research Council, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications Sanae Takaichi said:

“The plan to transport aid by JGSDF aircraft was rejected by the Government of India and Japan was unable to receive the supplies.”

Ms. Takaichi added that India’s refusal to allow entry of Japanese aircraft would lead to a delay in the plan to dispatch Japanese aircraft at the end of April.

Also at the meeting of the LDP, some members of the Party also said that India’s refusal of the Japanese aircraft was because New Delhi was dependent on Russia’s military and energy, according to the Asahi Daily.

Comments of LDP members are made based on the context that India has a good relationship with Russia.

In fact, India did not participate in sanctions against Russia in protest of Moscow’s military campaign in Ukraine, even though India and Japan are both members of QUAD (the diamond quadrilateral) along with America and Australia.

According to the Hindustan Dainik newspaper, India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet commented on the matter.

The Indian newspaper added that so far, India has not publicly supported either side and called for the issues to be resolved through dialogue.

Despite being refused entry by India this time, the SCMP newspaper said that Japan will still make efforts to send aircraft to aid Ukrainian refugees in order to fulfill the sub-task of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on the matter. proposed refugees.

Japan will also use commercial flights to aid Ukraine with masks and protective clothing to protect Ukraine from chemical weapons threats, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said earlier this week.