Pakistan announced on May 18 that they are extending the airspace closure against Indian aircraft for one more month, due to ongoing tensions and recent military actions by India. Originally implemented on April 24, it was supposed to expire by May 23, but this deadline will now extend up until late June (Geo News). Background of Closure Airspace restrictions were first instituted following India’s Operation Sindoor, a series of missile strikes directed against Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Punjab province, by India as part of their response to an April 22 attack in Pahalgam that resulted in 26 Indian tourist deaths; Pakistan denied involvement while criticizing India’s aggressive military response as too aggressive and condemned India’s military response as well. Wikipedia The Times Impact on Aviation The extended closure has had a serious impact on Indian airlines operating long-haul flights to Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Airlines like Air India and IndiGo were forced to reroute flights, leading to higher fuel costs, longer flight times, logistical challenges, diversion of some flights to alternative airports for refueling or cancellation altogether (Wikipedia The Points Guy). International Aviation Regulations Under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines, member states are usually discouraged from closing their airspace to another nation for extended periods. Exceptions are sometimes granted in cases relating to national security issues – and Pakistan’s decision to extend the closure reflects their view on current security concerns in response to India’s actions. Geo News Diplomatic and Economic Implications India-Pakistan relations have witnessed a marked deterioration, with trade being suspended, diplomatic expulsions occurring, heightened military alertness along the border and economic losses accruing for Indian airlines due to rerouted flights and operational costs escalation; tourism and logistics sectors have also experienced disruption caused by air travel disruption. According to The Times of India – Outlook While an international mediation was successfully used to broker a ceasefire on May 10th, the situation remains tenuous. Pakistan’s extension of airspace closure illustrates ongoing mistrust and unresolved issues between their two nations, according to observers. For normal air travel routes to return soon enough will depend upon sustained diplomatic engagement as well as tangible measures taken toward de-escalating tensions by both sides.
