Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan, the Authorities of India has prolonged the closure of 28 airports throughout the nation till the morning of Might 15. The choice comes after a significant safety breach involving a number of drone intrusions and airspace violations by the Pakistani navy, focusing on navy infrastructure in Northern and Western India.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed the extension on Friday, citing safety issues following a collection of coordinated drone strikes. A senior authorities official acknowledged that the closure was determined upon after a high-level assembly with stakeholders, and airways have been duly knowledgeable.
Price range provider IndiGo, in its advisory, mentioned, “In accordance with the newest directives from related authorities, all flights to and from the next locations will stay cancelled till 5:29 am on Might 15 as a result of non permanent airport closures.” These locations embrace Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, Bikaner, Rajkot, Jodhpur, and Kishangarh.
“These precautionary measures have been instituted along with your security and safety as our highest precedence. We stay totally dedicated to offering unwavering assist whereas navigating this case collectively,” IndiGo’s assertion added.
#TravelAdvisory
Following a notification from aviation authorities on continued closure of a number of airports in India, Air India flights to and from the next stations – Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhuj, Jamnagar and Rajkot – are being cancelled until…— Air India (@airindia) Might 9, 2025
Air India additionally issued a journey advisory by way of social media platform X (previously Twitter), confirming flight cancellations to and from airports in Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Chandigarh, Bhuj, Jamnagar, and Rajkot. The airline is providing a one-time waiver on rescheduling prices or a full refund for affected passengers.
Drone intrusions and escalation
The closure comes within the wake of a large-scale drone and missile assault launched by Pakistan on the night time of Might 7 and eight. Addressing a press briefing, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi revealed that the Pakistani military had deployed between 300 to 400 drones throughout 36 areas alongside the western border.
“The Indian armed forces shot down many of those drones utilizing each kinetic and non-kinetic strategies,” she mentioned, including that the intrusions aimed to check India’s air defence methods and collect navy intelligence. Preliminary experiences counsel the drones used had been Turkish-made Asisguard Songar fashions.
Colonel Qureshi additionally confirmed that Pakistan fired heavy-calibre weapons alongside the Line of Management (LoC), and that forensic investigations into the drone wreckage are underway.
Hamas-style rocket assault on Jammu
Defence sources instructed ANI that in a significant escalation, Pakistan used low-cost, Hamas-style rockets to assault areas in Jammu on Thursday. This retaliation adopted India’s Operation Sindoor, a precision strike by the Indian armed forces that focused 9 terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Might 8.
The Indian offensive was a direct response to the April 22 terror assault in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir.
Earlier, Indian forces had neutralised greater than 50 Pakistani drones in a sweeping counter-drone operation alongside the Line of Management and Worldwide Borders. Reviews additionally confirmed that India efficiently thwarted a large-scale missile and drone assault by Pakistan on numerous navy installations within the north and west. Moreover, India’s air defence items reportedly neutralised a key air defence system stationed in Lahore.
Because the state of affairs stays risky, authorities are urging travellers to remain up to date on flight advisories and are actively monitoring potential future threats.
