1. Central Theme

• Military standoffs and their impact on civilian aviation.
  
  
• Airspace closures as non-military tools of escalation.
  
  
• Civilian and commercial aviation caught in geopolitical crossfire.

2. Trigger Event

• Pulwama terror attack (Feb 2019).
  
  
• Indian Air Force’s Balakot airstrike.
  
  
• Pakistan’s closure of airspace (April–May 2019).
  
  
• India’s reciprocal NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) issued April 30, 2019.
  
  

3. Aviation Measures and Technical Terms

• NOTAM – Notice issued to pilots regarding airspace usage.
  
  
• Overflight ban – Restriction on crossing another country’s airspace.
  
  
• IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) – Navigation rules suspended in high-risk airspace.
  
  
• Rerouting – Diversion of flight paths due to security constraints.
  
  
• “Tunneled” corridors – Heavily congested, limited navigation channels.
  
  

4. Historical Context of Airspace Closure

• 1965 India-Pakistan War – Suspension of overflights.
  
  
• 1971 War – Indian Airlines aircraft shot down.
  
  
• 1999 Kargil War – Renewed closure of overflight routes.
  
  
• 2001 Parliament attack – India imposed airspace restrictions.
  
  
• Precedent for strategic retaliation via airspace control.
  
  

5. India-Pakistan Diplomatic Tensions

• Airspace closures reflect low points in bilateral relations.
  
  
• Symbolic assertion of sovereignty and security.
  
  
• Strategic signalling without crossing into open warfare.
  
  

6. Economic and Operational Impact

• Estimated losses to Indian aviation: ₹700 crore (post-2019).
  
  
• Around 500 flights/day rerouted; 50 flights/day rerouted overnight.
  
  
• Key airports impacted: Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai.
  
  
• Increased fuel usage, longer flying times, ATC congestion.
  
  

7. Future Scenario (2025 Case Study in Article)

• Hypothetical closure of 32 airports in northern/western India.
  
  
• 25 IFR segments suspended in Delhi and Mumbai FIRs.
  
  
• Rerouting caused air traffic surges up to 300%.
  
  
• Increased burden on alternate hubs, e.g., Hyderabad and Muscat FIR.
  
  

8. Strategic and Security Implications

• Airspace closures used as tools of diplomatic retaliation.
  
  
• Impacts strategic aviation, cargo logistics, and national connectivity.
  
  
• Undermines air safety due to congestion and unpredictable routes.
  
  

9. Expert Insights (Prof. Owais Farooqui)

• Airspace closure mirrors military intent without kinetic action.
  
  
• Civilian aviation becomes a “political hostage”.
  
  
• Historical pattern of airspace as contested geopolitical space.
  
  
• Need to delink aviation safety from diplomatic hostilities.

10. Global Governance and Legal Gaps

• Chicago Convention (ICAO) offers limited clarity during conflicts.
  
  
• No global norms for civilian airspace closure due to warlike conditions.
  
  
• Absence of arbitration mechanisms for misuse of airspace denial.
  
  

Rising need for multilateral aviation security diplomacy.