India closes airports amid escalating tensions with Pakistan

A wave of flight cancellations and airport closures swept across northern India this week after New Delhi launched military strikes on Pakistan, intensifying fears of a broader conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.

Major carriers including IndiGo, Air India, and Air India Express grounded hundreds of flights, with key hubs like Amritsar and Srinagar closed through Saturday. The sudden shutdown forced international flight diversions and left thousands of travelers stranded. IndiGo alone canceled 165 flights in one day.

Despite the growing disruption, India’s Civil Aviation Ministry has remained silent. Ministry spokeswoman Beena Yadav declined to provide any comment on Thursday.

The airspace clampdown follows India’s accusation that Pakistan was behind a deadly attack on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir—an allegation Islamabad denies. Since then, cross-border fire has erupted in Kashmir, fueling anxieties of a deeper conflict in the already volatile region.