New Delhi: China is delaying grant of clearance to India's proposal to send an Indian Air Force plane to carry relief material for people affected by coronavirus in the neighbouring country and bring back Indians from its city of Wuhan, official sources said on Saturday. India was to send a C-17 military transport aircraft to Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, on February 20 but the plane could not take off as permission was not granted. "China is deliberately delaying grant of clearance for the evacuation flight," a high-level source said. Official sources said Japan, Ukraine and France have been allowed to operate flights between February 16 and 20 but India's request has not been approved. When contacted, a Chinese Embassy spokesperson said there was no deliberate delay in grant of permission for the Indian flight to reach Wuhan.

"The current epidemic situation in Hubei province is complicated, and the prevention and control of Covid-19 has entered into a critical stage. There is no such thing as China deliberately delaying granting flight permission," spokesperson Ji Rong said. The sources said Indian nationals stuck in Wuhan are waiting to be brought back home and the uncertainty over evacuation is causing them mental stress and anxiety. The aircraft was to carry a large consignment of medical supplies to China and bring back more Indians from Wuhan. Sources said while the Chinese side continues to maintain that there was no delay in granting permission for the flight to go, the clearance has "inexplicably" not been given.