All Indian-registered, leased, commercial, and military aircraft will continue to be prohibited from using Pakistani airspace until May 24.
Pakistan’s restriction on Indian aircraft using its airspace is set to complete one year, as authorities have extended the ban for another month through a fresh Notice to Airmen (NOTAM).
According to the Pakistan Airports Authority, all Indian-registered, leased, commercial, and military aircraft will remain prohibited from entering Pakistani airspace until 5am on May 24, 2026.
Pakistan has kept its airspace closed to Indian flights since April 24, 2025, a move that has reportedly caused losses worth billions of rupees for Indian airlines.
The restriction was imposed in a tit-for-tat response after New Delhi suspended the key Indus Waters Treaty amid rising tensions following the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which India blamed on Pakistan. Pakistan has denied the allegations and called for a transparent investigation.
In response, India also closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines on April 30.
Tensions escalated further after India launched unprovoked attacks on several Pakistani cities on May 6–7, 2025. Pakistan’s armed forces retaliated with a large-scale operation named “Operation Bunyanum Marsoos,” targeting multiple Indian military installations across different regions.
During the conflict, Pakistan claimed to have downed seven Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft, as well as dozens of drones. After nearly 87 hours of hostilities, the two nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, brokered by the United States.
While India’s aviation sector has faced significant financial losses due to the airspace closure, the impact on Pakistan’s aviation industry has remained relatively limited.
This is not the first time such restrictions have been imposed. Similar airspace closures occurred during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis, both of which reportedly caused greater disruption to Indian aviation than to Pakistan.
About the Author
