In a significant revelation during the third official media briefing since Operation Sindoor, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force (IAF) alleged that Pakistan endangered international civil aviation by not closing its airspace during its failed drone and missile attack on India on May 7 at 8:30 PM.
Speaking at a press briefing in Delhi, she said, “Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite launching an unprovoked drone and missile attack. Knowing fully well that such an attack would trigger a swift air defence response from India, they allowed civil airliners to continue flying, using them as a shield.” She added that this action posed a serious risk to unsuspecting international and domestic flights operating in Pakistani airspace, especially in sectors between Karachi and Lahore.
#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
Sharing real-time evidence, the IAF presented FlightRadar24 screenshots, showing a stark contrast between both countries’ airspaces. While the Indian side was completely devoid of civil air traffic due to a declared airspace closure, multiple aircraft were seen flying over Pakistani airspace at the time of the high-alert situation.
“Despite Pakistan’s recklessness, the Indian Air Force demonstrated considerable restraint to ensure the safety of international civil carriers,” said Wing Commander Singh, reaffirming India’s responsible approach to air defence amid rising border tensions.
