32 Airports Closed Due To Soaring Tensions With Pakistan Set To Reopen Days After Ceasefire Announcement

New Delhi: A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was reportedly issued on Monday to reopen the 32 airports across northern and western parts of the country, which were closed amid rising tension between India and Pakistan. The NOTAM was issued by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and relevant aviation authorities after the directions of the Indian Air Force (IAF), reported CNBC-TV18.

"In light of evolving circumstances and dynamic airspace conditions, commercial flight operations were temporarily suspended at 32 Airports until 05:29 hrs of May, 15th 2025. It is pleased to inform that these Airports are now fully operational for #CivilAircraft movements with immediate effect," the AAI said in an X post.

"Passengers scheduled to travel via these airports are advised to stay updated by checking #FlightStatus directly with their respective airlines and monitor official airline websites for the latest information," it added.

Most of these airports located in the border towns of India, including Amritsar, Chandigarh, Jaisalmer, Leh, Pathankot and Porbandar. The development came two days after India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday. Notably, on May 10, US President Donald Trump announced that India and Pakistan had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire" after talks mediated by America.

Hours after the ceasefire, Pakistan resorted to cross-border firing and several drone attacks along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border. However, Sunday night remained peaceful.

Reports citing Army sources confirmed that there were "no incidents" across Jammu and Kashmir or along the International Border, offering a rare reprieve from weeks of heavy cross-border firing between India and Pakistan.

Despite the ceasefire, India's military operation codenamed "Operation Sindoor" continues. The operation targeted terrorist infrastructure within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack. Government sources suggest that India remains firm on eliminating the roots of terrorism, even while honouring the ceasefire terms.

International diplomatic engagement also played a role in recent developments, resulting in the ceasefire. Reports indicate that on the night of May 9, US Vice President JD Vance had a conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to explore solutions for de-escalation.

PM Modi, however, made India's stance unambiguous. "Wahan se goli chalegi, yahan se gola chalega (if they fire a bullet, we will fire a bomb)," PM Modi gave a stern message to Pakistan that any aggression from across the border would be met with a strong military response.

Operation Sindoor was launched to avenge the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Published on: Monday, May 12, 2025, 11:18 AM IST