India has abruptly shut its airspace to all Pakistani flights until May 23, Authority issued the news in a formal NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), escalating tensions between the two neighbors.
The move comes just days after Pakistan closed its own airspace to Indian airlines in retaliation for India’s decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, a decades-old agreement governing shared river resources.
Pakistan’s national carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), had already stopped using Indian airspace earlier this month as a precaution amid rising diplomatic strain. Now, Indian airlines are scrambling to reroute flights after Pakistan’s sudden airspace closure left them stranded. Pilots report chaotic scenes, with planes forced to make emergency landings or take longer detours, burning extra fuel and delaying passengers.
Earlier, The Pakistan Airports Authority dropped the news in a formal NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), making it official: no Indian military or leased planes can cross Pakistani airspace until at least May 25.
Pakistan just closed its airspace for all Indian aircraft, and the financial fallout for Indian carriers is going to be brutal. Longer routes and skyrocketing fuel costs this isn’t just a minor inconvenience. It’s a logistical nightmare.
Tensions have been boiling over since Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) huddled for talks recently. Now, things have escalated fast.
Read More: Pakistan Shuts Airspace to Indian Flights
In 2019, after the Pulwama attack, Pakistan restricts its airspace for Indian flights, costing airlines millions. Analysts warn the latest tit-for-tat closures could deepen the economic and logistical crisis for both sides, with no resolution in sight.
