Pakistan has extended its airspace closure for Indian aircraft for another month, intensifying diplomatic and aviation tensions in the region. The ban, initially enforced on April 24, 2025, came in response to India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty following the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
In a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority on Monday, authorities confirmed that the airspace will remain closed to all Indian commercial and military aircraft—including leased and chartered planes—until July 23. “The ban has been extended for one month,” the NOTAM read. “Indian aircraft, including chartered and leased, are not permitted to enter Pakistani airspace.”
This extended restriction is already causing heavy operational and financial losses for Indian airlines. Industry estimates suggest the cumulative losses have exceeded Rs8.2 billion, driven by longer flight routes, rerouting fuel costs, and suspended cargo operations.
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Experts warn the continued closure may force Indian airlines to reduce international routes or raise airfares, which could shift the financial burden to passengers unless bilateral talks bring relief.
The airspace closure was prompted by deteriorating Pakistan-India relations after a deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, which killed 26 civilians. India quickly blamed Pakistan-based actors without presenting conclusive evidence—a claim Islamabad strongly denied. Tensions escalated further when India responded by shutting down the Wagah border, revoking bilateral visas, and unilaterally withdrawing from the Indus Waters Treaty, moves Pakistan termed an “act of war.”
India subsequently launched military operations under “Operation Sindoor,” marked by missile strikes and drone incursions. Pakistan retaliated on May 10 with “Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,” during which it claimed to have shot down five Indian fighter jets—including Rafales—and intercepted 77 Israeli-manufactured Harop drones.
Though a temporary ceasefire agreement across land, air, and sea was later brokered through diplomatic efforts led by the United States, bilateral trust remains fragile, and the airspace ban illustrates the continuing hostilities between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
