Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircraft until January 27, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended the closure of its airspace for Indian aircraft for another month until January 27, 2026, according to a notice to airmen (Notam) issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority on Wednesday.

Under the latest Notam, the restriction will remain in force from December 25, 2025, to January 27, 2026. The ban applies to all Indian-owned, operated and leased aircraft, including military flights.

The Pakistan Airports Authority said the decision continues an existing restriction that has been in place for the past eight months.

Pakistan initially closed its airspace to Indian airlines in a tit-for-tat move after New Delhi suspended the Indus Waters Treaty amid heightened tensions following the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. In response to Pakistan’s move, India shut its airspace to Pakistani airlines on April 30.

Pakistan’s initial restriction was extended on May 23 for another month, and the latest extension has now brought the total duration of the airspace closure for Indian aircraft to 210 days.

Tensions between the two countries escalated further on May 6-7, when India carried out unprovoked attacks on multiple Pakistani cities. Pakistan’s armed forces responded with a large-scale retaliatory operation, named Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, targeting several Indian military installations across different regions.

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Pakistan claimed it downed seven Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft, along with dozens of drones. After at least 87 hours of hostilities, the conflict ended on May 10 following a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States.

While India’s aviation industry has reportedly suffered significant losses due to the prolonged airspace restrictions, the impact on Pakistani aviation has remained limited.

This is not the first time Pakistan has imposed such a ban. Similar airspace closures were enforced during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis, both of which caused greater disruption to Indian aviation than to Pakistan’s.