An Indian paramilitary personnel uses a handheld transceiver as he stands guard along a street leading to the international airport in Srinagar on May 10, 2025. (Photo by Sajjad Hussain / AFP)
New Delhi: Amid escalating military conflict with Pakistan, the Indian government Saturday said 32 airports across northern and western parts of the country have been shut for civilian flight operations until May 15.
These airports have been closed in states including Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and the India-controlled Kashmir.
"The Airports Authority of India and relevant aviation authorities have issued a series of Notices to Airmen announcing the temporary closure of 32 airports across northern and western India for all civil flight operations," a statement issued by India's Ministry of Civil Aviation said.
Fighting between New Delhi and Islamabad has been going on unabated since Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
The civil aviation ministry said the AAI has also extended the temporary closure of 25 segments of Air Traffic Service routes within the Delhi and Mumbai Flight Information Regions due to operational reasons.
The ministry further asked airlines and flight operators to plan alternate routings as per current air traffic advisories.
"The temporary closure is being managed in coordination with relevant Air Traffic Control units to ensure safety and minimize disruption," the ministry said.
Over the past three days, hundreds of flights were cancelled and many others diverted because of the closure of airports in the wake of the ongoing military conflict between the two nuclear neighbors.
