Delhi Airspace Curbs Begin for BRICS Summit

Special airspace restrictions have come into force around New Delhi from September 11 to 13 as India hosts the 18th BRICS Summit at Bharat Mandapam, with aviation authorities imposing curbs on flying activity within a 300-kilometre radius of the capital. The measures, notified through a notice to airmen issued by aviation authorities, primarily target nonscheduled flight operations, which will not be permitted between 7 am and 11 pm during the three-day window, according to officials and people familiar with the security advisory. Scheduled commercial airline flights are exempt and will continue to take off and land at Indira Gandhi International Airport, meaning regular passengers should not expect a suspension of services. However, the regime is described somewhat differently across accounts, with one report attributing to sources a broader ban on takeoffs and landings at airports within the 300-kilometre zone outside specified hours. The precise scope of the restrictions, and whether they amount to a blanket ban or curbs limited to nonscheduled operations, remains unclear pending publication of the official notice text.