In a firm reaction to India’s recent actions related to water issues, Pakistan has announced the suspension of its airspace for all Indian flights. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) released a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), confirming that Indian aircraft are banned from entering Pakistani airspace for one month.
The unexpected move has severely impacted Indian airlines, forcing multiple in-flight diversions and creating operational chaos. Several international flights had to be rerouted and make unscheduled landings in foreign countries for refueling due to the sudden change.
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According to CAA officials, the airspace ban took effect at 6:00 PM. One of the affected flights, IndiGo 6E1428 en route from Sharjah to Amritsar, was on the verge of entering Pakistani airspace through Turbat when it had to alter course. The flight was rerouted via the Gulf of Oman and landed in Ahmedabad for refueling.
Air India’s flight AI190 from Toronto to India was diverted to Copenhagen for fuel, while AI148 from Paris to New Delhi had to land in Abu Dhabi. Another Air India flight, AI162 from London, was also rerouted mid-journey.
IndiGo’s flight 6E1807 from Delhi to Tbilisi was redirected to Ahmedabad, while two more flights—6E1801 to Almaty and 6E1805 to Tashkent—were canceled entirely.
Additionally, IndiGo’s Delhi to Sharjah flight 6E9526 was diverted, and Air India Express flight IX145 from Delhi to Bahrain had to reroute as well.
This airspace closure is being viewed as a strong political statement by Pakistan and is likely to heighten tensions between the two neighboring nations. Meanwhile, Indian airlines are grappling with major financial losses and scheduling disruptions due to the restriction.
