ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has once again extended the closure of its airspace to Indian aircraft for another month, maintaining restrictions that have been in place for nearly a year.
The Pakistan Airports Authority has issued a new Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) stating that the country’s airspace will remain closed for all Indian-registered aircraft until March 23 . The directive applies to both military and civil aviation, barring any Indian planes from passing through Pakistani territory .
The latest extension continues a reciprocal closure policy that began after bilateral tensions escalated dramatically in late April 2025. Pakistan first closed its airspace to Indian airlines on April 23, 2025, following New Delhi’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and heightened tensions after the Pahalgam attack . India responded on April 30 by closing its airspace to Pakistani aircraft, and since then, both sides have renewed their bans on a monthly basis .
The ongoing restrictions have forced Indian airlines to take longer alternative routes for flights to Europe, West Asia, and North America. This has led to increased fuel consumption, extended flight durations, and significant financial losses reportedly running into billions of rupees . In contrast, the impact on Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has been minimal due to its limited international footprint over Indian airspace .
Tensions had peaked in early May 2025 when India carried out strikes on Pakistani territory, prompting Pakistan’s armed forces to launch a retaliatory operation named “Operation Bunyanum Marsoos.” The conflict ended after 87 hours with a US-brokered ceasefire on May 10, but diplomatic relations remain frozen
The airspace restrictions are expected to continue as long as political tensions persist between the two nuclear-armed neighbors .
