Pakistan extends airspace ban on Indian aircrafts by a month

Pakistan on Wednesday extended its airspace restrictions on Indian-registered aircraft for yet another month till July 24. The restrictions were first imposed in April 2025, a day after terrorists killed 26 people in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, leading to a stand-off between the two nuclear-powered countries, which culminated in a four-day military conflict.

India has also slapped similar restrictions on Pakistani aircraft for using its airspace. “The ban on Indian aircraft — both civil and military — will remain in effect from 5:50 pm June 16 until 4:59 am July 24,” the Pakistan Airports Authority said in a notice issued on Wednesday. While military tensions have eased between the two, diplomatic relations remain strained with both sides continuing with retaliatory measures introduced during the crisis. The prolonged airspace closure is expected to increase operational costs for Indian airline companies, many of which have been forced to take longer routes to destinations in Central Asia, Europe, West Asia and North America.