New Delhi: Amid heightened tensions with Pakistan, Indian aviation authorities have temporarily suspended all civil flight operations at 32 airports across Northern and Western India. The Airports Authority of India (AAI), in coordination with relevant air traffic control units, has issued a series of NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) announcing the closure, effective from May 9 to May 14, 2025. Operations will resume at 0529 IST on May 15, 2025.
The affected airports include major and strategically located hubs such as Amritsar, Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Bhuj, Jaisalmer, and Pathankot, among others. The full list spans across Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
In addition to airport closures, 25 segments of Air Traffic Service (ATS) routes within the Delhi and Mumbai Flight Information Regions (FIRs) have also been temporarily restricted. According to NOTAM G0555/25, these airspace segments are closed from the ground up to unlimited altitude until 2359 UTC on May 14, 2025 (0529 IST on May 15, 2025).
The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) has advised airlines and operators to reroute flights as necessary, emphasizing that all measures are being taken to ensure safety and minimize disruptions.
The closures come as military vigilance increases along the India-Pakistan border. Defence sources reported that armed drones were detected at 26 locations stretching from Baramulla in the north to Bhuj in the south. These locations include key border areas such as Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Jaisalmer, and Bhuj.
The drones are believed to pose potential threats to both civilian infrastructure and military installations. Security agencies are on high alert, and surveillance efforts have been intensified.
