Aviation security and airspace management across northern India have reached their highest operational posture as New Delhi prepares to host world leaders and high-level international delegations for the 18th BRICS Summit. To secure the skies over the national capital and ensure unhindered transit for incoming heads of state and official dignitaries landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport, the Airports Authority of India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation have enacted temporary airspace restrictions.
Under an official Notice to Air Missions issued by aviation authorities, all non-scheduled flight operations have been prohibited between 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM daily, spanning September 11 through September 13. The sweeping directive creates an expansive security perimeter covering every civilian landing strip and airfield within a three-hundred-kilometer radius of Delhi, establishing an airtight aerial bubble during one of the most significant multilateral gatherings hosted by the country.
The operational impact of this directive falls predominantly on non-scheduled aircraft operators, private chartered jet companies, corporate aviation fleets, and general aviation services that routinely navigate northern skies. Under normal circumstances, Delhi serves as the country’s busiest gateway for business aviation, handling regular corporate commutes, VIP charters, and unscheduled domestic transfers. The three-day restriction temporarily grounds non-scheduled departures and arrivals during daytime and evening peak hours, forcing charter companies, high-net-worth executives, and private flight organizers to cancel flights, reschedule movements to the late-night window between 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM, or redirect travel itineraries through airports situated outside the restricted three-hundred-kilometer perimeter.
Crucially for everyday travelers, regular commercial airline operations remain fully exempt from the ban. Domestic and international passengers flying on scheduled commercial flights through Indira Gandhi International Airport will experience normal operations without widespread cancellations directly linked to the airspace order. Domestic carriers such as IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air, along with international airlines, continue operating according to their published schedules. However, aviation authorities have introduced tight air traffic management guidelines within the controlled airspace zone to accommodate the complex sequencing of official summits and scheduled traffic. Inbound aircraft entering the three-hundred-kilometer perimeter are subject to stringent altitude and radar-monitoring protocols. Aircraft during descent can initiate step-down maneuvers only after crossing the specified distance boundary from Delhi, while departing commercial flights are directed along precisely calibrated climbing corridors designed to prevent conflicting flight tracks with high-priority VVIP movements.
The temporary ban exempts specific operational categories essential to summit logistics, national governance, and emergency response. Most prominently, special flights and official aircraft carrying foreign dignitaries, heads of state, and accredited summit delegations are permitted to take off and land at Delhi and designated regional airports, provided their flight itineraries and manifests receive prior security vetting and clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Furthermore, state-owned aircraft and government helicopters transporting state governors or chief ministers remain exempt from the restrictions. Operations executed by the Indian Air Force, the Border Security Force, and the Aviation Research Centre will continue unabated, while Indian Army Aviation helicopters assigned to airborne Quick Reaction Teams and time-sensitive casualty or medical evacuation flights maintain continuous operational clearance.
The influx of foreign delegations has created an unprecedented logistical undertaking across civil and military aviation infrastructure. Aviation officials anticipate around thirty-five special aircraft—ranging from wide-body long-haul presidential carriers to specialized diplomatic charter planes—to arrive in New Delhi over the summit weekend. With approximately twelve heads of state participating in bilateral and multilateral sessions at Bharat Mandapam, airport authorities have enacted an extensive regional parking and dispersion plan. To prevent catastrophic ramp congestion at Delhi’s primary hub, authorities have activated auxiliary aprons and taxiways, while roping in surrounding airports to manage parking for visiting aircraft. Secondary aerodromes including the upcoming Noida International Airport, Hindon Air Force Station in Ghaziabad, and Jaipur International Airport have been designated to receive and park foreign aircraft once delegations deplane in Delhi, with Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport placed on standby as an additional contingency diversion point.
The scope of the security protocol also extends to secondary airfields in the National Capital Region. Safdarjung Airport, a vital central facility typically utilized for VIP helicopter operations and civil aviation training, will remain entirely closed to general civilian aviation for the duration of the summit curbs. The airfield’s operational footprint is reserved exclusively for Indian Air Force helicopters deployed on urgent VIP shuttle or emergency protocols, as well as joint tactical helicopters operated by the BSF and IAF to provide immediate backup for the National Security Guard. Beyond conventional airplanes, the aviation regulator has implemented sweeping regional bans on unmanned aerial vehicles, remote-controlled drones, microlight aircraft, paramotors, hang gliders, and hot air balloons, with aerial surveillance teams monitoring the skies using advanced anti-drone systems to neutralize any unauthorized airborne activity.
Flying Training Organizations across northern India are also heavily affected by the security sweeping order. The civil aviation regulator has instructed flight training schools across seven neighbouring states—including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan—to suspend all instructional flights, solo sorties, and training operations throughout the three-day summit window. This multi-state grounding eliminates low-altitude training traffic from regional radar screens, allowing military and civil air traffic controllers to dedicate undivided vigilance to the coordination of summit aircraft, commercial passenger airliners, and national defense patrols.
While commercial flights continue their regular timetables, passenger advocacy groups and airport authorities strongly advise airline travelers flying through Indira Gandhi International Airport to exercise extra foresight. Ground transit corridors leading into airport terminals face significant surface congestion due to extensive traffic diversions and motorcade movements throughout Central and South Delhi. Commuters attempting to reach Terminal 1, Terminal 2, or Terminal 3 via arterial roads like Sardar Patel Marg are likely to experience substantial vehicular delays. Aviation stakeholders recommend that passengers verify their flight status directly with airlines prior to leaving home, budget at least two to three hours of additional buffer time, and utilize the dedicated Delhi Metro Airport Express Line to avoid road blockades and reach terminals reliably. Through calculated airspace prioritization and rigorous regional coordination, Indian authorities are maintaining an optimal balance between top-tier national security and uninterrupted commercial air connectivity.