ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has extended the closure of its airspace for Indian-registered aircraft for an additional month.
The Pakistan Airport Authority confirmed that the airspace will remain closed to Indian aircraft until January 23, 2026.
The new notification stated that both Indian military and private aircraft will not be allowed to pass through Pakistan’s airspace during this period.
It is important to note that Pakistan had initially imposed the airspace restriction on Indian aircraft starting from April 23, 2025.
The ongoing airspace restrictions have incurred significant financial losses, costing millions of dollars, as Indian airlines are forced to take longer and more costly routes. These alternative paths increase flight time and fuel consumption for journeys between India and destinations in Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
Since the escalation of tensions in April, following a deadly attack in Pahalgam, occupied Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, both India and Pakistan have closed their airspaces to each other’s airlines.
In retaliation to India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty after the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan announced several measures on April 24, one of which was the closure of its airspace to all Indian-owned or Indian-operated airlines.
