(MENAFN) India has officially closed its airspace to all aircraft connected to Pakistan—including military flights—as tensions between the two countries continue to escalate following a deadly terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

The decision follows Islamabad's earlier move to bar Indian-owned or operated aircraft from entering Pakistani airspace. In a notice issued on Wednesday, New Delhi stated that Indian airspace is now off-limits to aircraft registered in Pakistan or operated or leased by Pakistani airlines, including military aircraft. This reciprocal ban is set to last until at least May 23.

Currently, the only Pakistani airline operating over Indian airspace was Pakistan International Airlines, which services routes to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The diplomatic fallout began after an April 22 terrorist attack in India’s Jammu and Kashmir federal territory that killed 26 people, most of them tourists. India accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism, while Islamabad denied any involvement and instead called for an independent probe. Pakistan also alleged that India supports militant networks operating within Pakistani borders.

The longstanding Kashmir dispute—divided by the Line of Control since the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war—continues to be a flashpoint between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. Following the attack, India expelled all Pakistani nationals, sealed the border, and suspended the Indus Water Treaty. Pakistan retaliated by halting bilateral trade, revoking regional visas for Indians, and implementing other diplomatic countermeasures.

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