Pakistan Extends Airspace Ban On Indian Aircraft Till July 24 Amid Ongoing Tensions
Airspace restrictions extended, increasing flight duration and costs.
Pakistan has extended its airspace restrictions on Indian-registered aircraft for another month, keeping the ban in place until July 24. The decision was announced on Wednesday through a fresh notice issued by the Pakistan Airports Authority. According to the directive, both civil and military Indian aircraft will remain barred from using Pakistani airspace during this extended period, continuing a measure that has already been in force for several months.
The restrictions were first imposed in April 2025, shortly after a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region in which 26 people were killed. The incident sharply escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, leading to a diplomatic standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The situation later intensified into a brief four-day military confrontation before tensions were eventually brought under partial control.
In its latest notification, the Pakistan Airports Authority specified that the ban will remain effective from 5:50 pm on June 16 until 4:59 am on July 24. The extension continues a pattern of periodic renewals of the airspace closure, which has become a key feature of strained bilateral relations. Officials have not indicated any immediate timeline for a full rollback of the restrictions.
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The prolonged closure is expected to further increase operational costs for Indian airlines, many of which have already been forced to reroute flights. Carriers operating long-haul and medium-haul services to Central Asia, Europe, West Asia, and North America have had to take longer flight paths, resulting in higher fuel consumption, extended travel times, and increased logistical expenses.
While military tensions between the two countries have eased compared to the peak of the crisis, diplomatic relations remain tense. India has also imposed reciprocal restrictions on Pakistani aircraft, preventing them from using Indian airspace. The mutual airspace curbs continue to reflect the broader strain in bilateral relations, with both sides maintaining retaliatory measures introduced during the escalation period.
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