India has reopened 32 airports in the northern and northwestern regions of the country from Monday, following a temporary closure due to heightened military tensions with Pakistan. The closures were enforced on May 7 after India’s swift airstrike, dubbed “Operation Sindoor,” targeting locations in Pakistan. The airports were initially scheduled to remain shut until May 15.
According to the Airports Authority of India (AAI), the decision to resume operations was made after a noticeable de-escalation in the situation. On Saturday, India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire brokered by the United States. However, later that night, Pakistan reportedly launched limited attacks on targets in Kashmir, Punjab, and Gujarat, which Indian forces claimed to have successfully repelled. As no new attacks were reported on Sunday, authorities decided to reopen the airports.
The reopened airports include strategically important hubs such as Srinagar, Jammu, Leh, Chandigarh, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Rajkot, and Porbandar. The move is expected to ease pressure on Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport, which had been handling diverted traffic during the shutdown.
The airspace restrictions were originally put in place on April 30, following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people. In response, India closed its airspace to Pakistani aircraft, prompting Pakistan to reciprocate. Despite the ceasefire, India has yet to reopen its airspace to Pakistani flights, and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty also remains in effect.
