Pakistan Closes Border, Airspace With India in Escalating Conflict
Pakistan has shut its only full border crossing with India and closed its airspace to Indian flights amid an escalating political conflict following a terrorist attack in Kashmir.
Closure of Pakistan’s border and airspace with India
Following a terrorist attack in which 28 people were killed by members of a jihadist terrorist group at a mountain meadow popular with tourists in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, a major political conflict has erupted between India and Pakistan.
India has blamed Pakistan for alleged involvement in the terrorist attack — an accusation strongly denied by the Pakistani government in Islamabad, which “unequivocally condemned” the act.
The terrorist attack has far-reaching political repercussions, as India has unilaterally annulled the Indus Water Treaty, expelled diplomats, and cancelled the visas of Pakistani nationals.
In response, Pakistan has adopted a tough political stance as well, cancelling visas and expelling diplomats.
Pakistan also closed its border posts with India as well as its entire airspace for Indian planes, with the latter especially having consequences for international travel.
Airspace closure
Yesterday (Thursday 24th April), Pakistan closed its airspace to all Indian airlines and planes registered in India or owned by Indian businesses or nationals.
Non-Indian airlines will however still be able to overfly Pakistan en route to India.
The closure of Pakistan’s airspace will significantly impact the operations of Indian airlines such as Air India and IndiGo.
Flights of Indian airlines out of Delhi will be especially affected, as the shortest routes from the Indian capital to destinations in the Middle East or Europe typically pass through Pakistani airspace.
With overflights of Pakistan now being banned, airlines such as Air India and IndiGo will have to take a significant detour to reach destinations in Europe and the Middle East.
This longer flight duration is not only inconvenient for passengers, but it will also affect the profitability of these routes for Indian airline companies, as more fuel will be needed to operate the flights, while competitors can still take the direct route.
Flight paths
By looking at the flight paths of Air India flights between Delhi and airports in Europe, you can get a better sense of the problems caused by the closure of Pakistani airspace.
I flew this route myself last year in Air India economy class, with the normal flight path of a Delhi-Frankfurt flight taking you over Pakistan.
Yet, if we look at the flight path of the Air India flight from Delhi to Frankfurt this morning, we can see that the plane now heads south-west towards the coast of the Indian state of Gujarat, instead of taking the direct north-west route via Pakistan.
The flight path then continues over the Gulf of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, the Persian Gulf, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, before finally heading north across the Mediterranean towards Europe.
Needless to say, the Air India plane eventually landed with a significant delay in Frankfurt, with a flight duration about 2 hours longer compared to Delhi-Frankfurt flights operated in previous days.
Border closure
The only full land border between India and Pakistan, linking the town of Attari with Wagah in the north-western region of Punjab, has also been closed by both sides.
Although the closure of the Attari-Wagah border will have the biggest impact on trade between India and Pakistan — likely bringing it to a complete standstill — it will also affect the lives of locals in both countries.
International tourists will also be affected by the closure of the Attari-Wagah border, as it is not only the easiest way to travel between India and Pakistan, but it also attracts many visitors who come to admire the special border closing ceremony.
I’ve crossed the Attari-Wagah border myself when travelling from Lahore in Pakistan to Amritsar in India, and the border closing ceremony really is a true spectacle that’s amazing to experience.
Even though the border is now indefinitely closed, it seems the border ceremony is still going ahead, albeit in a much more strained atmosphere, with rival border guards not exchanging their customary handshake — a telling sign of how tense the situation currently is.
The Pakistani government has assured that the Kartarpur Corridor, a visa-free border crossing for Sikh pilgrims from India wishing to visit the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, Pakistan, will remain open.
Conclusion
A terrorist attack in Indian-administered Kashmir has caused political relations between India and Pakistan to hit a new low, with repercussions for international travel.
As a result, the land border between India and Pakistan is now firmly shut, with India revoking visas for Pakistani nationals and Pakistani authorities doing the same for Indians, bringing trade to a standstill.
Only Sikh pilgrims are still allowed by Pakistan to cross the land border from India to Pakistan to visit holy shrines in the border area.
However, it is aviation where the biggest consequences will be felt for international travellers, as Pakistan has closed its airspace to all Indian airlines and planes registered in India.
If you are set to fly with airlines such as Air India and IndiGo between Europe or the Middle East and airports in northern India such as Delhi, expect a longer flight duration, as planes will now have to take a more circuitous route, potentially adding two hours or more to the total flight time.
