ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has extended the closure of its airspace for Indian aircraft by another month, taking the restrictions to nearly 10 months.

The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) issued a fresh Notice to Airmen (Notam), confirming that Pakistan’s airspace will remain closed to Indian-registered aircraft until March 23.

Under the directive, all Indian-registered military and civil aircraft will not be permitted to transit through Pakistani airspace during this period. The ban has been in effect since April 23, 2025.

Pakistan imposed the restriction in response to India’s suspension of the Indus Water Treaty following heightened tensions after the deadly Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

In retaliation, India also closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines on April 30.

Tensions further escalated when India carried out attacks on multiple Pakistani cities on May 6-7, 2025. Pakistan responded with a large-scale retaliatory operation, “Operation Bunyanum Marsoos”, targeting several Indian military positions across multiple regions.

Pakistan reported downing seven Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale aircraft, along with dozens of drones. The conflict lasted around 87 hours before ending on May 10 through a ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States.

Officials say India’s aviation industry has suffered significant losses due to the restrictions, while the impact on Pakistani aviation has remained limited.

Pakistan has previously enacted similar airspace closures during the 1999 Kargil conflict and the 2019 Pulwama crisis, both of which caused greater disruption for Indian airlines than for Pakistan.