Tempers are flying, but flights are blocked, between India and Pakistan after a bunch of terrorists killed 26 people in the serene meadows of Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22. The two countries have blocked their respective airspaces to flights emerging from one-another’s territories. India’s Ministry of Civil Aviation confirmed the airspace closure applies to all Pakistani-registered, operated, or leased aircraft, including military flights, underscoring the comprehensive nature of the restriction. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADWhy India unleashed its airspace arsenalPakistan-backed outfit The Resistance Force, a known offshoot of Islamist terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for killing people, all but one tourists, choosing targets on the basis of their religious identity. More from India
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Rough trek and help from local cadres: How terrorists entered Kashmir from Pakistan to wreak havoc in PahalgamThe group retracted its statement but not before Pakistan, currently a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), took veto-wielding China’s help to get the mention of TRF dropped from the marquee UN body’s statement condemning the Pahalgam terror attack. Pakistan also had its way in getting dropped “the Government of India” from the final statement with which the UNSC committed originally to work with in combating terrorism.But India’s allies, especially the United States and France, ensured that the China-Pakistan axis didn’t get their way in including “disputed” while the UNSC condemned the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan and China’s combined attempt to get the “disputed” tag to Jammu and Kashmir and thereby peddle the narrative that terrorism in the picturesque valley in India’s northern Union Territory is essentially a local issue was foiled.India responded with a series of punitive measures against Pakistan after security agencies traced digital footprints of the Pahalgam terror attack across the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistan has denied its role in the Pahalgam terror attack but for the record it also denied its involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack of 2008 despite one of the 10 Pakistani gunmen arrested, tried and convicted after a three-layered judicial process in India.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADAfter the Pahalgam terror attack and India’s punitive measures that included putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, Pakistan suspended all bilateral treaties and also closed its airspace for Indian airlines fearing air strikes by the Indian Air Force (IAF), anticipating military action similar to what India undertook in 2016 and 2019 after Uri and Pulwama terror attacks.While Pakistan’s action to close its airspace for Indian operators, as per strategic experts, emanated from its anxiety of being targeted by the IAF, India’s closure of its airspace to Pakistani aircraft shows the strategic use of airspace as a potent geostrategic asset. However, this move, effective from April 30 to May 23, came as a direct response to Pakistan’s earlier closure of its airspace to Indian carriers and reflects a broader pattern of leveraging sovereign airspace control in regional power dynamics.Strategic depth of Indian airspace controlIndia’s geographic position at the crossroads of major international air routes, including the so-called but historic Kangaroo Route linking Europe, South Asia, and Australia, grants it significant leverage. This route emerged during the times when the British Empire basked in the sun that proverbially never set. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADThe vast Indian airspace, extending over four Flight Information Regions (FIRs) and covering critical international corridors, is indispensable for efficient global aviation, especially given the restricted airspace over neighbouring countries such as China, Iran, and Pakistan.By denying Pakistani aircraft access, India compels them to reroute through longer, costlier paths over China or Sri Lanka, increasing fuel consumption, flight duration, and operational complexity for Pakistani airlines like Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), an ailing airline from across the border whose attempts at selling itself off have not attracted any buyers. Pakistani airlines are not a global favourite transport medium, meaning the financial impetus it needs and wants is not readily coming to it. India’s action further imposes economic pressure on Pakistan’s already fragile aviation sector, which operates fewer than 100 aircraft compared to the hundreds of widebody jets flying through Indian airspace daily.India’s airspace closure to have geopolitical and economic implicationsThe airspace closure serves multiple strategic purposes. It gives a strong diplomatic signal and serves as robust retaliation. It acts as a calibrated punitive measure short of military action, signalling India’s resolve following the Pahalgam attack while avoiding direct conflict escalation.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADIt gives India economic leverage as overflight fees and route optimisation are vital revenue and operational factors for airlines. India’s control allows it to impose indirect economic sanctions on Pakistan, affecting its international connectivity and airline profitability.For long, India has used its airspace to strengthen its soft power and expand regional influence. Control over a major aviation hub enhances India’s soft power, influencing global air traffic flows and fostering dependency among regional and international carriers on Indian airspace.Why India’s airspace matters to the worldA country’s airspace isn’t limited to that nation’s territorial boundaries. It extends into what is considered as international airspace. Countries have signed agreements to manage airspace beyond their territorial control.For example, India’s airspace spreads over vast stretches of the Indian Ocean beyond the 12 nautical miles territorial boundary recognised by international conventions. This extended control enhances global commercial aviation routes, especially given the restricted airspace over neighbouring country China, and sanctions on Iran, Afghanistan, and Russia over various issues, making Indian airspace essential for efficient international air travel.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADIndia has established six Air Defence Identification Zones (ADIZs) along its borders with Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, and China, as well as two in the south. These zones extend beyond its territorial airspace, enabling India to detect and respond to potential aerial threats early, thus projecting power and ensuring regional security. All inbound aircraft must notify Indian air traffic control 10 minutes before entry, or risk interception by the Indian Air Force.The relatively few permanent restrictions within Indian airspace — limited mostly to sensitive government buildings, nuclear power plants and military sites — allow for smoother and more flexible air traffic management compared to many neighbouring countries. This openness, combined with India’s large landmass and multiple flight information regions, positions India as a vital hub in global aviation, capable of influencing regional air traffic flow and security.Against this backdrop, India’s airspace holds critical global significance in terms of geostrategy and for the overall security balance in the Indian Ocean region. India serves as a crucial corridor for international aviation, provides strategic security oversight in a geopolitically sensitive region, and offers a stable, well-managed airspace that supports global trade and connectivity.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADPost-Pahalgam sceneIndia’s strategic use of its airspace following the Pahalgam terror attack as a punitive retaliatory measure against Pakistan demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of airspace sovereignty as a geostrategic asset. By leveraging its geographic advantage and the indispensable nature of its air corridors, India effectively imposes economic and diplomatic costs on Pakistan, reinforcing its position in the ongoing regional contest. This episode also underscores the evolving role of airspace control in modern geopolitical strategy, where aviation routes become arenas of influence and power projection.TagsIndiaJammu and KashmirPakistanTerrorismEnd of Article
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Airspace as arsenal: Why India has geostrategic edge over Pakistan after Pahalgam attack
