Pakistan reopens airspace for India

Normal air traffic operations between India and Pakistan resumed on Tuesday with Islamabad opening its airspace for all civilian flights, nearly four-and-a-half months after shutting it down following the Balakot air strikes.

Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) at 12.41 am (IST), stating that the country’s airspace has been opened with immediate effect for all types of civil traffic on “published ATS (air traffic service) routes”.

Following Pakistan’s move, India also issued a “revised NOTAM”, announcing that normal air traffic operations have resumed between the two countries. “Consequent to Pakistan issuing NOTAM to lift all airspace restrictions, relevant authorities have informed that India has also issued revised NOTAM immediately thereafter. With this, normal air traffic operations have resumed through all Flight Information Regions between India and Pakistan,” a government source told PTI.