India's NOTAM For Air Force Drill Puts Pakistan On The Edge Amid Regional Tensions | Exclusive

Last Updated:March 03, 2026, 10:11 IST

Pakistan is currently engaged in border monitoring along Afghanistan and Iran, while also maintaining naval vigilance in the Arabian Sea amid the broader Middle East crisis

India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) reserving airspace for an Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise near the southern sector of its border with Pakistan from March 5 to March 12 in a move that has prompted heightened vigilance across the border.

According to official aviation notifications, the temporary airspace reservation is intended for a scheduled Indian Air Force drill in the region. Such notices are routinely issued ahead of military exercises to ensure civilian aircraft avoid designated zones.

However, security sources told CNN-News18 that the development has triggered concern within Pakistan’s defence establishment, which is already managing heightened operational demands along multiple fronts.

Pakistan is currently engaged in border monitoring along Afghanistan and Iran, while also maintaining naval vigilance in the Arabian Sea amid the broader Middle East crisis. The latest Indian airspace reservation has reportedly prompted Islamabad to redeploy additional air and ground assets to observe the Indian exercise from March 5 onward.

A senior security source familiar with regional deployments said Pakistan’s military and aerial capabilities are “stretched beyond their optimal capacity", given concurrent security pressures on its western borders and maritime domain.

The southern sector of the India-Pakistan border, spanning areas near Rajasthan and Sindh, has historically seen military exercises from both sides, particularly during periods of elevated regional tension.

The March 5-12 drill comes against the backdrop of wider instability in West Asia, where ongoing hostilities have already disrupted civilian air traffic and heightened military readiness across the region.

Since Operation Sindoor, this kind of strategic signalling has become a regular feature of India-Pakistan ties, with both sides frequently issuing NOTAMs along their borders to cordon off airspace for military drills.

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