India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting its airspace to all aircraft registered, operated, or leased by Pakistan, including commercial airlines and military flights.
This closure, effective from April 30 to May 23, 2025, is a significant escalation amid heightened tensions following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack.
Indian authorities have barred Pakistani aircraft from entering Indian airspace, compelling carriers such as Pakistan International Airlines to reroute flights via longer paths through China and Sri Lanka, thereby increasing operational costs and flight durations.
The move follows Pakistan’s April 24 decision to close its airspace to Indian aircrafts and suspend bilateral agreements. Islamabad closed its air space for Indian airlines and rejected New Delhi’s suspension of a critical water sharing treaty.
Pakistan had said it was closing its air space to Indian-owned or operated airlines, suspending all trade including through third countries and halting special South Asian visas issued to Indian nationals.
Pakistan’s closure of airspace to Indian flights has already forced hundreds of Indian flights to divert, incurring substantial additional fuel and time costs. The situation remains volatile, with military alertness heightened on both sides.
Pakistan says it has ‘credible intelligence’ India will attack within days’
Pakistan said Wednesday it had “credible intelligence” that India is planning to attack it within days, and vowed to respond “very strongly,” as soldiers exchanged gunfire along borders and Pakistanis heeded New Delhi’s orders to leave the country following last week’s deadly attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir.
India has moved to punish Pakistan after accusing it of backing the attack in Pahalgam, which Islamabad denies, driving tensions between the nuclear-armed rivals to their highest point since 2019, when they came close to war after a suicide car bombing in Kashmir.