Pakistan In Panic? Islamabad Shuts Down Air Routes Before India’s Massive Trishul Military Drill Near Sir Creek

In a development reflecting rising military unease in the region, Pakistan has restricted several air traffic routes across its central and southern airspace just days before India launches its major tri-services exercise, Trishul, near the Sir Creek border.

The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) issued by Pakistan’s Civil Aviation Authority is effective for October 28–29, though no official explanation has been provided. The timing of Islamabad’s notification coincides with India’s own NOTAM for Exercise Trishul, a large-scale joint Army, Navy, and Air Force drill to be held from October 30 to November 10 along the Sir Creek sector of the Gujarat–Sindh border.

India’s Mega Military Drill Near Pakistan Border

According to the Ministry of Defence, Exercise Trishul aims to test joint operational preparedness, enhance inter-service coordination, and showcase the forces’ focus on Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) and indigenous innovation. Troops from the Southern Command will participate in complex operations across diverse terrains, including amphibious missions off the Saurashtra coast, offensive manoeuvres in desert zones, and multi-domain exercises.

 Satellite imagery shared by defence analyst Damien Symon shows that the airspace reserved for the exercise extends up to 28,000 feet, marking it as one of India’s largest joint operations in recent years. Symon described the scale and scope of the drill as “unusual,” noting its proximity to key Pakistani air and naval installations.

Pakistan has now issued a notification restricting multiple air traffic routes along its central & southern airspace possibly for a military exercise/weapons test as India prepares for its Tri-Services Exercise across the border

Date | 28-29 October 2025 pic.twitter.com/ucFeSTuWmk

— Damien Symon (@detresfa_) October 25, 2025

Tensions Rise Over Sir Creek

While Pakistan has not commented publicly on India’s upcoming exercise, its decision to restrict airspace suggests heightened vigilance along the border. Since Operation Sindoor, when Indian forces destroyed multiple terror camps and military sites in Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack, such reciprocal NOTAMs have become routine.

Sir Creek, a 96-kilometre marshy estuary separating Gujarat from Pakistan’s Sindh province, is a long-disputed boundary zone. The creek’s control has major strategic implications, as it influences access to key sea routes and offshore resources in the Arabian Sea.

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The exercise comes shortly after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh issued a strong warning to Islamabad during his visit to the IAF base in Bhuj. “If Pakistan dares to act in the Sir Creek sector, the reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography,” he said on Dussehra.

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As both neighbours continue to issue overlapping airspace restrictions, the region once again finds itself at the intersection of military signaling and strategic posturing, underscoring the fragile balance that defines India-Pakistan relations.