Amidst heightened tensions following the deadly attack by gunmen in Pahalgam, Kashmir, India has retaliated by closing its airspace to all Pakistani aircraft.
New Delhi announced the decision late Wednesday (April 30th).
According to a report by NDTV, the decision came into effect on Wednesday and will remain in force until May 23rd.
India's civil aviation authority issued a 'Notice to Airmen' (NOTAM) stating that no commercial or military aircraft registered in Pakistan, operated from there, or leased by Pakistani entities will be allowed to use Indian airspace.
This move follows Pakistan's decision on Monday to close its airspace to Indian aircraft.
However, media reports from both neighboring countries indicate that airlines from both nations had already begun avoiding each other's airspace even before these reciprocal announcements.
The report notes that India's decision will force Pakistani aircraft to take significantly longer routes to reach Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia. Flights to Southeast Asia and Oceania will now have to travel over China and Sri Lanka.
Previously, Pakistani aircraft typically flew over India to reach these destinations. The closure of this route will increase costs and travel time for Pakistani airlines.
Conversely, Pakistan's airspace closure has also caused similar problems for many Indian aircraft, forcing them to take longer routes.
Tensions have been running high between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, India and Pakistan, for the past week following the Pahalgam attack. While India has not officially blamed Pakistan for the attack, it immediately took several strong measures, including canceling visas for Pakistanis, expelling diplomats, and suspending the Indus Waters Treaty.
In response, Pakistan also took several steps, including closing its land and airspace to India. Amidst this climate, reports indicate that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi granted the Indian Army "full freedom" to attack Pakistan during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated in a press briefing, "We are in contact with both sides and making it clear that no one should escalate the situation further."
