The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an urgent security advisory amid the escalating military conflict in West Asia, especially following the US and Israel attacks on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory measures. The directive, issued on March 19-20, 2026, has urged Indian airlines to avoid high-risk airspaces to mitigate threats to civil aviation, including possible mis-identification of aircraft or adverse impacts due to intense military operations.

This advisory designates 11 ‘Flight Information Regions’ (FIRs) as high-risk areas. These include all altitudes and flight levels: Iran (Tehran), Israel (Tel Aviv), Lebanon (Beirut), Iraq (Baghdad), Jordan (Amman), Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar (Doha), UAE (Emirates), Saudi Arabia (Jeddah), and Oman (Muscat).

Indian operators have been advised to completely avoid the airspace of nine countries—Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and UAE—due to the increased threats.

Limited operations are permitted over Saudi Arabia and Oman, but flights must not descend below FL320 (32,000 feet) in certain parts of these airspaces. Airlines must use ‘real-time monitoring’ and effective tracking systems, and adhere to international safety standards.

DGCA has also mandated a robust ‘contingency planning’ for international routes near the region, which includes the following:
– Protocol for changing routes or diverting flights in some other direction in case of sudden airspace closure.
– Continuous monitoring of ‘Aeronautical Information Publications’ (AIPs) and ‘NOTAMs’ issued by regional authorities.
– Prioritizing the safety of passengers and crew over flight schedules.

Sanctions already in place on Syria and Yemen are still in effect. This advisory is effective with immediate effect and will remain valid till March 28, 2026; However, it may be reviewed or even changed earlier depending on geopolitical developments.

In response, airlines such as Air India and IndiGo have made changes to their operations—rerouting flights, suspending some services to the Gulf region (e.g. to Doha, Kuwait, Bahrain, Sharjah), and operating a limited number of flights (about 50–72 flights per day as per reports in mid-March), while closely monitoring the situation. These disruptions have led to many flights being canceled and rescheduled, affecting air connectivity with the Middle East.