Pakistan’s Airspace Ban Pushes India Toward a China Corridor

India is pursuing an air route over Hotan in Xinjiang to get around Pakistan’s airspace ban—a practical aviation problem that now puts India’s improving ties with China to a test. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the proposed corridor would be significantly shorter; for airlines, a diplomatic opening could also mean a less circuitous trip.

Background

Pakistan’s airspace has remained closed to Indian airlines since April 2025, after the Pahalgam attack,...