ISLAMABAD: India has activated a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) reserving a largeairspace sector over the northern Arabian Sea for aerial exercisesscheduled between 5 and 20 December 2025. The reserved area extendsapproximately 200 nautical miles west of Karachi and reaches within 70nautical miles of Pakistan’s territorial airspace limit.
The NOTAM, identified as A2388/25, establishes a temporary danger zonebounded by coordinates that place the eastern edge of the exercise areasignificantly closer to Pakistan’s coast than previous routine drillsconducted by the Indian Navy and Air Force. Aviation authorities in Karachihave accordingly adjusted several international air routes to ensureseparation from the active zone.
Defence sources in Islamabad confirmed that Pakistan Air Force air defenceunits along the Makran and Sindh coasts have been placed on heightenedalert as a precautionary measure. The sources emphasised that while theexercises remain outside Pakistani sovereign airspace, the proximitywarrants continuous monitoring through radar and maritime patrol assets.
The Indian Ministry of Defence has described the activity as a “routinelong-range air defence and maritime strike exercise” involving Su-30MKIfighters, P-8I patrol aircraft, and naval surface units. No live missilefiring has been explicitly mentioned in the published NOTAM text, thoughthe designation as a danger area permits such activity under internationalaviation protocols.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that diplomatic channels havesought clarification from New Delhi regarding the scope and duration of thedrills. A statement issued late Thursday noted that any military activityconducted in close proximity to a neighbouring state’s coastline mustadhere to principles of transparency and restraint to avoid unnecessaryescalation.
Civil aviation regulators in both countries have coordinated through theInternational Civil Aviation Organisation framework to minimise disruptionto commercial overflights. Flights operating on the busy Middle East–SouthAsia corridors have been rerouted slightly northward, adding marginal fueland time penalties.
Military analysts view the timing and location of the exercise asconsistent with India’s periodic demonstration of extended reachcapabilities in the Arabian Sea, particularly following recent acquisitionsof long-range air-launched munitions. The current NOTAM covers a largerradius than similar exercises held in 2023 and 2024.
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Pakistan Navy warships have increased patrol density in adjoininginternational waters while maintaining strict adherence to the12-nautical-mile territorial limit. Air defence radar coverage along thecoastal belt remains fully operational.
Source: https://www.notamweb.com/notam/A2388-25
Source: https://www.dgca.gov.in/reports/notam
Tags: India, Pakistan, NOTAM, Arabian Sea, Karachi, Indian Navyogimageimage-name