India has suspended civilian flights at 24 northern airports due to escalating clashes with Pakistan following air strikes targeting "terrorist camps." Over 100 flights have been canceled, and heightened security measures are in place. Tensions continue to rise, with fears of a broader conflict.
India Halts Flights at 24 Airports Amid Escalating Conflict with Pakistan





India has suspended civilian flights at 24 airports in the northern region due to ongoing hostilities with its nuclear-armed neighbor, Pakistan. The clashes, which have escalated since India launched air strikes on Wednesday targeting alleged "terrorist camps," have resulted in nearly 50 deaths, with the majority of casualties occurring in Pakistan. These strikes have triggered the most intense confrontations between the two countries in decades.
In a government announcement late on Thursday, India revealed that 24 airports, including those in Jodhpur, Ludhiana, and Amritsar—cities situated near the western border with Pakistan—have been closed for civilian air traffic. As a result, several major Indian airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet, have been forced to cancel over 100 flights since Wednesday.
Reports from local media indicate that the suspension of civilian flights might be lifted as early as Saturday morning. In the meantime, Indian airlines have issued advisories to passengers flying from other airports, urging them to arrive at least three hours before departure. This precaution is in response to a government notification outlining enhanced security measures.
The air strikes on Wednesday occurred two weeks after India accused Pakistan of supporting a terrorist attack on tourists in the Indian-administered region of Kashmir, a charge that Pakistan has denied. Since then, both countries have exchanged drone and missile attacks, along with artillery fire, across their disputed Kashmir border. The escalating violence has raised concerns of a potential wider conflict between the two nations.