China 'deliberately delaying' India's attempts to evacuate nationals from coronavirus-hit Wuhan: Sources

China is "deliberately delaying" the granting of clearance to the special Indian Air Force (IAF) flight that will deliver medical supplies and evacuate Indians from the coronavirus-infected Wuhan city, news agency ANI reported on Saturday, quoting sources.

Beijing is intentionally "creating a roadblock" for India's evacuation efforts, the sources added.

Earlier, it was reported that a special IAF aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster, will deliver medical supplies to and rescue Indian nationals from Wuhan, the epicentre of the Novel Coronavirus epidemic. However, it was not receiving clearance from China for the same.

Beijing, though, has denied reports of inexplicable delay.

"The Chinese government is yet to grant clearance to the flight, carrying relief supplies, which will also get back the remaining Indian nationals from Wuhan. China continues to maintain that there is no delay (even on Friday), the day that the flight was supposed to leave, but inexplicably clearance has not been given," news agency ANI reported on Saturday, quoting sources.

Shortly after this, the agency added that according to sources, China was "deliberately delaying" the grant of clearance for the evacuation flight.

Hitting out at the Chinese government over the inexplicable delay, the sources said, "There are relief and evacuation flights from other countries which are still going on, including by France. Why is the Chinese government delaying clearance for the relief flight? Are they not interested in Indian aid provided as our token of support?"

The C-17 Globemaster is the largest plane of the Indian Air Force. The armed forces had, earlier last week, announced that it will send the aircraft to Wuhan with medical supplies and to get the remaining Indian nationals and citizens of neighbouring countries back to their native land.

However, the inexplicable delay is causing the family members of the stranded citizens in Wuhan "tremendous mental anguish", the sources added.

It may be recalled that PM Modi wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping conveying the solidarity of the people and the Government of India with the Chinese government regarding the coronavirus threat. Modi had offered India's help to China in meeting the challenge of coronavirus outbreak and offered to provide whatever assistance possible to China regarding the same.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also conveyed appreciation for the facilitation provided by the Government of China for the evacuation of Indian citizens from the Hubei province of China. Earlier, 647 Indians and seven Maldivians were evacuated from Wuhan and Hubei, who were sent to a 14-day quarantine period at a medical camp in Manesar, near Delhi.

India's flag carrier airline, Air India, has suspended all flights to mainland China till June 20 in view of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak in the country. Earlier, the state-owned national carrier had suspended flights till March 28.

The Chinese envoy to India, Sun Weidong, had asked India to "reconsider" the steps it took with regards to China in the backdrop of the Novel Coronavirus outbreak.

Meanwhile, the death toll in China due to coronavirus has gone up to 2,236 while the overall confirmed infection cases have climbed to 75,567, health officials in the country said.