Commercial airlines operating to and from India’s west coast will have to plot detours next week after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) published an urgent Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) reserving large swathes of airspace over Rajasthan and Gujarat for a live-fire Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise. According to the NOTAM, the exclusion zone stretches up to 28,000 ft between 04:00 UTC on 7 July and 16:30 UTC on 10 July 2026. Flights transiting popular Gulf–South-East Asia corridors, and departures from Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Goa headed toward Europe or Africa, will have to file longer routings, adding up to 30 minutes’ flight time in some cases.
![India reserves western airspace for major Air Force drill, airlines told to reroute]()
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Global distribution systems have already begun issuing automated schedule changes, and Indian carriers have warned of possible knock-on delays during the four-day window. Military NOTAMs are routine, but the size and altitude of this reservation are unusual and reflect the IAF’s current focus on rapid-reaction drills close to the Pakistan frontier. Because the restriction tops out below normal cruise levels, ultra-long-haul flights at FL340+ can overfly, yet weather or traffic-flow constraints could still push them lower, triggering last-minute diversions. Corporate travel managers are advising staff to pad connections when routing through western India during the period. Forwarders moving time-critical cargo such as pharmaceuticals from Mumbai’s airfreight hub have also been alerted. The DGCA says real-time tactical activations will appear in the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) feed, but urges operators to file contingency flight plans in advance.
For flight crews and passengers suddenly needing new routings or last-minute permits, VisaHQ can fast-track Indian visas and transit documents entirely online, keeping disruptions to a minimum. Learn more at https://www.visahq.com/india/
Global distribution systems have already begun issuing automated schedule changes, and Indian carriers have warned of possible knock-on delays during the four-day window. Military NOTAMs are routine, but the size and altitude of this reservation are unusual and reflect the IAF’s current focus on rapid-reaction drills close to the Pakistan frontier. Because the restriction tops out below normal cruise levels, ultra-long-haul flights at FL340+ can overfly, yet weather or traffic-flow constraints could still push them lower, triggering last-minute diversions. Corporate travel managers are advising staff to pad connections when routing through western India during the period. Forwarders moving time-critical cargo such as pharmaceuticals from Mumbai’s airfreight hub have also been alerted. The DGCA says real-time tactical activations will appear in the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) feed, but urges operators to file contingency flight plans in advance.
