Operation Sindoor: Airspace Restrictions in the Age of Cross-Border Tensions

This article discusses India’s decision to close its airspace during Operation Sindoor, citing sovereignty and security concerns, and how this move is rooted in the country’s historical aviation ties with Pakistan. The Ministry of Civil Aviation, Ministry of Defence, and Indian Air Force, along with the Airports Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, worked together to regulate and restrict airspace, affecting over 670 flight routes and causing an 11% decline in domestic flights. The Chicago Convention of 1944, which India ratified in 1947, recognizes a state’s sovereignty over its airspace, allowing for restrictions on foreign aircraft for military or public safety reasons.

The article is authored by Poonam Verma Sengupta, Partner, and Priyakshi Bhatnagar, Senior Associate published in Infrastructure Today.

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