In a major retaliatory action, India said on Wednesday that it will restrict its airspace to Pakistani-owned and operated flights until at least May 23, following Islamabad's recent decision to impose a similar restriction on Indian carriers.
The Indian aviation regulator released a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), effectively barring all Pakistani aircraft from flying into Indian airspace for the specified duration.
This decision is made against the backdrop of growing tensions between the two nations after a gruesome terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which took the lives of 26 individuals—huge numbers of whom were tourists.
The ban, according to the NOTAM, will remain in force from April 30 to May 23, 2025. During this time, no Pakistani aircraft belonging to or owned by Pakistan will be allowed to fly over Indian airspace.
This tit-for-tat follows Pakistan's earlier action to close its own airspace to Indian airlines, and India has reciprocated the ban.
Earlier during the day, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had a meeting to discuss the security situation and deliberate on India's response following the April 22 terror attack that killed in Pahalgam.
The gathering, convened in the Prime Minister's house, was the second such high-level meeting within a span of days. The CCS consists of key ministers such as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
At the previous CCS meet under PM Modi, India had already taken a series of tough measures against Pakistan.
These included the suspending of the Indus Waters Treaty, the closure of the Attari border, the cancelling of visas for Pakistani nationals, the blocking of many Pakistani X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube accounts, and a deterioration in diplomatic relations through further reductions of embassy personnel, effectively compelling the recall of Pakistani staff.
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