Flight operations hit, schools shut: How Indians are affected after Operation Sindoor

Early on Wednesday, India carried out a strike on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam.

The operation, named ‘ Operation Sindoor’, targeted specific terror bases in Pakistan and PoK, which were reportedly used to plan attacks against India.

Catch all the live updates from Operation Sindoor here

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called India’s missile strikes on the terror camps an “act of war” and warned of a strong response.

With tensions rising, several flights between key cities near the border have been affected due to airspace limits.

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At least 10 civilians were killed, and 26 others injured in heavy mortar shelling by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control.

Here’s how Operation Sindoor is affecting people in India and what you need to know about it.

Flight operations disrupted, Indian airspace under close watch

Flight services at several Indian airports, especially those near the India-Pakistan border and key Indian Air Force bases, have been affected due to the current situation and resulting changes in airspace rules.

Some airports in north India have also been closed to civilian flights. As a result, Indian airlines cancelled several flights to and from these locations through most of Wednesday.

Airlines also warned that the impact may spread across their network, affecting flight schedules in other parts of the country. They have also asked passengers to check their flight status before travelling and to plan accordingly.

According to Flightradar24, which monitors global air traffic, there was no flight movement early this morning over Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh.

Flight operations were also affected at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport. Passengers were asked to check with airlines before travelling to the airport.

Air India announced cancellations for flights to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh, and Rajkot until noon. The airline also diverted two international flights headed for Amritsar.

“In view of the prevailing situation, Air India has cancelled all its flights to and from the following stations – Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot – till 12 noon on 7 May, pending further updates from authorities. Two international flights en route to Amritsar are being diverted to Delhi,” it said in a post.

IndiGo said its services to and from Jammu, Srinagar, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, Dharamshala, and Bikaner have been disrupted due to the airspace conditions.

SpiceJet said flight arrivals and departures were likely to be affected by the shutdown of airports in Dharamshala, Leh, Jammu, Srinagar, and Amritsar.

Akasa Air has also cancelled all flights to Srinagar, saying the airport there has been shut for civilian use.

Government sources told India Today that the Indian airspace is being closely tracked. “This is a national emergency; the safety of passengers is paramount. DGCA is monitoring the situation,” a source told the publication.

ALSO READ | What are loitering munitions India used for ‘Operation Sindoor’ in Pakistan and PoK?

10 civilians killed along LoC

At least 10 civilians were killed, and 26 others injured in heavy mortar shelling by the Pakistan Army along the Line of Control, as the Indian Armed Forces launched Operation Sindoor.

The shelling targeted forward villages along the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri.

In response, the Indian Army retaliated, launching counterattacks against the Pakistani forces.

Following the shelling, Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed officials to move residents near the LoC to safer places in Bakars, according to India Today.

Schools shut in border states

Tensions along the border have led to the closure of schools and colleges in several districts across Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan.

In Kashmir, schools are shut in Kupwara, Baramulla, and Gurez. In Jammu, they are closed in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri, and Poonch. In Punjab, Ferozepur, Pathankot, and Amritsar districts have shut educational institutions, India Today reported.

The University of Kashmir has also postponed all exams scheduled for May 7, 2025.

In Rajasthan, a PTI report said that government and private schools have been shut in Ganganagar, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, and Barmer as a precaution. All these districts lie close to the India-Pakistan border, which remains on high alert.

Mumbai Airport gets bomb threat call

Authorities at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport were put on high alert after a bomb threat was made regarding an IndiGo flight arriving from Chandigarh.

The threat was received via a phone call to the airport’s hotline, claiming that a bomb would be detonated on the aircraft.

Though nothing suspicious has been found on board, the police are continuing to investigate the source and authenticity of the threat.

Operation Sindoor

The Indian Army confirmed that the focus of the operation was on terror bases responsible for attacks on India, including the recent Pahalgam assault.

The army said the strikes were carried out in a careful and controlled way. “They did not target any Pakistani military sites to avoid an escalation.

#WATCH | Delhi | #OperationSindoor| Col. Sofiya Qureshi, while addressing the media, presents videos showing multiple hits on the Mundrike and other terrorist camps in Pakistan and PoJK. pic.twitter.com/Ih21EklEe5

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

The operation took place exactly two weeks after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had held several meetings following the Pahalgam incident, was closely monitoring the operation throughout the night. He had earlier promised to “identify, track, and punish” those behind the attack and their supporters.

Soon after the strikes, the Indian Army shared an image online with the words: “Operation Sindoor” and the hashtag #PahalgamTerrorAttack, along with the message: “Justice is Served. Jai Hind!”

With inputs from agencies