MEA Briefing on India-Pakistan Tension: Pakistan didn't close airspace, used civilian flights as shield

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, India has accused Pakistan of putting civilian planes at risk by not closing its airspace, even though it knew India would respond to attacks carried out on May 7 and 8. During a special briefing on Operation Sindoor, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, "Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7 May at 08:30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliner as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners including the international flights which were flying near IB between India and Pakistan. The screenshot we just showed, shows the data of the application flight radar 24 during a high air defence alert situation in the Punjab sector. As you have seen, the airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure. However, there are civil airlines flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore...Indian Air Force demonstrated considerable restraint in its response thus ensuring safety of international civil carriers."

She also reported that the Pakistani army used heavy weapons along the Line of Control and tried to send 300 to 400 drones across the border at 36 different locations to infiltrate Indian territory.

#WATCH | Delhi: Wing Commander Vyomika Singh says, "...Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7 May at 08:30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliner as a shield, knowing fully well that its… pic.twitter.com/VaTB61Wqr6

— ANI (@ANI) May 9, 2025

Early on May 7 morning, India executed a coordinated assault using long-range high-precision strike weapons, destroying nine sites in PoK and deep inside Pakistan in an operation codenamed 'Sindoor'