In response to the growing military conflict in West Asia, India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued a safety advisory. Indian airlines must avoid 11 specific airspaces in the Middle East and Persian Gulf to reduce risks from ongoing military strikes and retaliatory actions.
Strategic airspace restrictions
The DGCA has defined a “high-risk” zone that covers all altitudes and flight levels within these Flight Information Regions (FIRs):
Primary conflict zones: Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and Iraq.
Gulf & regional neighbours: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Jordan.
This advisory follows recent US and Israeli military strikes in Iran, which have increased the risk to civil aviation. The regulator expressed concerns about “spill-over risks,” including the possible misidentification of civilian aircraft or mistakes during high-intensity military actions.
Specific altitude mandates
While the main directive is to avoid these areas, the DGCA has provided specific rules for any allowed transit:
Saudi Arabia & Oman: Indian operators cannot fly below FL320 (32,000 feet) within these airspaces.
Monitoring: Airlines must use effective monitoring systems and maintain real-time tracking for any operations in allowed corridors.
Existing bans: Previous advisories banning flights through the airspace of Syria and Yemen remain enforced.
Requirement for contingency planning
The regulator requires all airlines operating international routes to or near the affected region to create thorough contingency plans. This includes:
Rerouting protocols: Preparing secondary flight paths in case of sudden airspace closures.
Information monitoring: Keeping track of AIPs (Aeronautical Information Publications) and NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) issued by regional authorities.
Safety priority: Putting passenger and crew safety first over schedule adherence as the geopolitical situation changes.
Validity and outlook
The current advisory is valid until March 28, 2026, but the DGCA noted it may be reviewed or changed earlier based on further developments in the Iran-Israel conflict. Earlier this month, major carriers such as Air India and IndiGo began suspending or rerouting some West-bound services as a precaution.
