the story So Far: After the initiative terrorist attack on 22 April, India started several measures against Pakistan, including suspension of the Indus Water Treaty. In response to India’s calibrated stages, Pakistan issued a NOTAM (notice) to Indian aircraft from April 24 to May 23 – several air traffic routes were unavailable to the north and south as well as a part of the Arabian Sea. India responded with a uniform demonic on 30 April, it was effective till 23 May.
Also read India bans airspace for Pakistan Airlines till 23 June
What happened after enmity?
After India’s three-service operation Sindoor (7–10 May), Pakistan opened its airspace, resulting in some foreign airlines to re-start overflights. However, both countries have again issued fresh notices, which closes their airspace on Indian (“June 24, 4.59 pm, Authority of Pakistan Airports”) and Pakistan aircraft (23 June) (23 June).
Is there a history of airy closure?
Pro. Mohammad Ovis Farooqui, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Law, Public Law Department, College of Law, Sharjah University, has told Hindu In the 1950s, India objected to Pakistan’s “prohibited region” announcement, as it allowed overfly by other countries as discriminated against its frontier. The dispute was diplomatically resolved, but an example was set that there should be security justification in such restrictions.
HinduArchives suggest that the airspace has been a major issue in line with the state of bilateral relations. After the 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, a report, “Overflights from 10 February: Indo-Pak. Accord: Air Services is to be resumed from March 1”HinduFebruary 8, 1966), “Highlights overflights from 1 March and a theory agreement to allow general Pakistani and Indian services to resume”. Pakistan also wanted a direct link to DACCA (Dhaka), which was cut into the war in September. The report stated that “to reach East Pakistan from West Wing, currently Pakistan’s aircraft will have to fly by Ceylon, forced to operate more than 2,000 miles and international flights from Karachi to Bombay have been forced to operate – in the Arabian Sea (New Delhi’s connection is lifted from Bombay)”.
In 1971, on 30 January, another ban was imposed for Pakistan after the kidnapping of F -27 flight (Srinagar -Jammu), an Indian Airlines for Pakistan. The passengers were released in Lahore and the aircraft was destroyed (burnt). A report, “Pak. Civil overflights were also banned” (February 4, 1971), banning the civic overflights of India continued the current ban on military aircraft, until “Pakistan did not question compensation for Indian aircraft”. The report states that flights were affected in both countries (Pakistan “much more than India”). The incident saw India registering a case in the world court when Pakistan filed a complaint against the overflight ban with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the United Nations Security Council. The world court ruled (14-2 votes) that ICAO had jurisdiction on the issue. The issue was resolved in June 1976, in which India and Pakistan signed a memorandum of understanding on the resumption of overflights and flights.
Since then, there have been other closures and generalizations, with major events Kargil War (1999), Indian Parliament attack (2001) and Balkot Hawaii attack (2019).
Also read Brace shuts its airspace for long flights to Bay, Europe and America as Pakistan
What is an estimate of loss?
In 2002, India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation had to get budgetary support for Indian Airlines after damage estimates (Air India (40 crore per year; Indian airlines; Indian airlines, 3.4 crore and airport authority and and 5 crore from landing and parking fees and 5 crore more). According to the Minister of Civil Aviation, Pakistan’s loss was estimated to be five times higher.
In 2019, the collective loss of the Indian carrier was placed in ₹ 548.93 crore (Rajya Sabha North). A PTI The report stated that Pakistan had a loss of $ 50 million. According to IATA, before the ban, at least 220 flights used Pakistan airspace to work between Asia and Europe.
In 2025, consolidated losses for the Indian aviation sector (including cargo), citing the industry sources, may be around ₹ 7,000 crore (symbolic figure). Data reports based on the 2019 closure suggests that Pakistan lost about $ 2,32,000 every day in overfly fee and $ 3,00,000, if the landing, parking and navigation fee were added.
What were the changes in the airspace in 2025?
There was a temporary shutdown of 32 airports in northern and western India. There was also a temporary shutdown of 25 sections of Air Traffic Service (ATS) routes within the Delhi and Mumbai Flight Information Areas (FIR), “unlimited height from ground level to unlimited height” for aviation security. Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Kolkata and Chennai were overflights “funnels” with some air traffic controls, which were managing traffic. In 2019, 500 flights were resumed overnight. On 7 May, during Operation Sindoor, there were 500 aircraft (20% Indian aircraft) agitations from Indian aircraft to Pakistan, the aviation sources reported that HinduSome of the airways used include N571, P574, L301, L505 and L639, which is associated with flight management with Muscat FIR. The aircraft movement also increased by 30% per hour, with peak and traffic in 40 aircraft. In terms of aerial navigation, India and Pakistan share close to 12 vapoints, through which Mumbai and Delhi again feed air traffic, while Mumbai and Muscat are six vents between Firon. Sources said that traffic load was transferred to these six vents from 12 vapoints. Established air traffic management processes were used as vertical, crossing and lateral) for minimum aircraft separation standards (vertical for east and west-bound traffic).
Director of Communications of Flightradar24 has been reported Hindu There are some alternative routes through China which are due to the revival nature of Chinese airs and the presence of high mountains that can affect safe flight operations. He said that any routing that is less than optimal will add time and cost.
Will there be an international aviation law?
Pro. Farooqui says that while international aviation provides mechanisms for law prevention, their effectiveness depends on political will and understanding of the fine facts of this bilateral deadlock.
Published – June 01, 2025 03:00 AM IST
