What Happened
- The Indian government scheduled approximately 58 special flights to the Gulf region on March 4, 2026, to bring back stranded Indian nationals as airspace disruptions caused by the Israel-Iran conflict continued to affect the Middle East.
- IndiGo planned 30 flights on the day; Air India and Air India Express together operated 23 flights; SpiceJet added additional special services.
- Major UAE cities — Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah — were the primary hubs connecting to Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Kochi.
- As of March 7, 2026, over 52,000 Indians had returned from the Gulf since the conflict began on February 28, with more than 32,000 carried on Indian airline services.
- Nearly 8,000 passengers were reported stranded in Qatar alone at the height of the airspace closures; other Gulf states had similar backlogs.
- The government directed airlines to ramp up operations, with Air India and Air India Express subsequently operating 32 ad-hoc flights on March 9, 2026.
Static Topic Bridges
India's Civil Aviation Sector and Non-Scheduled/Charter Flights
India's aviation regulatory framework distinguishes between scheduled and non-scheduled air transport services. Regular commercial routes are operated under Scheduled Operator Permits (SOPs) issued by the DGCA. Special or ad-hoc operations — such as those organised during the Gulf evacuation — fall under non-scheduled operations, which require separate clearances but can be approved on an expedited basis for national emergency purposes. The Civil Aviation Requirements and bilateral air services agreements govern which routes Indian carriers can operate to foreign destinations; during crises, the government can expedite additional slots and bilateral permissions through MEA coordination with host governments.
- Scheduled services: require SOP, bilateral air services agreement with destination country, and DGCA route clearance.
- Non-scheduled/charter: requires DGCA clearance; no fixed timetable; used for evacuation, Hajj operations, charter tourism.
- India's bilateral air services agreements (ASAs): India has ASAs with over 100 countries; Gulf countries (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain) have liberal ASAs allowing high flight frequencies.
- Air Bubble arrangements: Introduced during COVID-19 to allow ad-hoc bilateral flights when regular scheduled services were suspended — the model being used for Gulf evacuation flights.
Connection to this news: The 58 special flights on March 4 were operated under non-scheduled/ad-hoc permissions, which MEA obtained through diplomatic coordination with Gulf civil aviation authorities — a reactivation of the air bubble mechanism last used at scale during COVID-19 repatriation.
India's Major Carriers and Market Structure
The Indian commercial aviation market has undergone structural transformation in recent years. Air India, after the Tata Group acquisition in 2022 and merger with Vistara in 2024, is positioned as India's full-service international carrier. IndiGo remains the dominant domestic and growing international low-cost carrier. SpiceJet has faced financial distress and fleet contraction. Akasa Air (founded 2022, backed by the late Rakesh Jhunjhunwala) is a new-entrant LCC. The Gulf routes are among the highest-traffic international corridors for Indian carriers — critical for the millions of Indian workers in the GCC.
- IndiGo: ~60% domestic market share; international presence in Gulf, Southeast Asia, Europe; operates Boeing 737 Max and Airbus A320 families.
- Air India post-Tata: Operates wide-body (Boeing 787, 777) and narrow-body fleets; Vistara merger completed 2024.
- Air India Express: Low-cost subsidiary; key player on Gulf routes connecting Tier-2 Indian cities to UAE, Oman, Qatar.
- SpiceJet: Financial difficulties post-COVID; limited international operations by 2026; still operational on select routes.
- Gulf routes collectively carry ~15–20 million Indian passengers per year across all carriers.
Connection to this news: The evacuation operation revealed the strategic importance of India's Gulf air corridor — and the fact that IndiGo (30 flights) and Air India group (23 flights) between them can mobilise nearly 50+ aircraft for emergency operations within 24–48 hours, reflecting the depth of Indian carrier presence on Gulf routes.
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Airspace Sovereignty
The temporary closure of airspace over UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia during the Gulf conflict represents an exercise of sovereign airspace rights under the Chicago Convention (1944), which establishes that every state has complete and exclusive sovereignty over its airspace. States can close airspace for security reasons, requiring airlines to reroute or suspend operations. ICAO, the UN specialised agency for civil aviation, publishes NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) and provides safety guidance during conflicts, but has no enforcement power over sovereign airspace decisions. The conflict's disruption of Gulf airspace affected not just evacuation flights but also transcontinental routes between Europe and South/Southeast Asia that transit Gulf airspace.
- Chicago Convention (1944): Article 1 establishes complete and exclusive sovereignty over national airspace; foundational instrument of international air law.
- ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organisation): UN specialised agency; 193 member states; headquartered in Montreal; sets global aviation safety and navigation standards.
- NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen/Air Missions): Official notices of temporary flight restrictions or hazards; disseminated through ICAO systems.
- During the 2022 Russia-Ukraine war, closure of Ukrainian/Russian airspace forced European carriers to take longer routes around; added 3–5 hours to Europe-Asia flights.
- Oman maintained open airspace throughout, making it a critical transit hub for rerouted flights.
Connection to this news: The 58 special flights on March 4 were possible partly because key Gulf airspaces had partially reopened by then, and partly because Oman served as a rerouting hub — illustrating how ICAO's airspace sovereignty framework creates both the disruptions and the alternative corridors used during crises.
Key Facts & Data
- 58 special flights planned for March 4, 2026: IndiGo (30), Air India/Air India Express (23), SpiceJet (additional).
- 52,000+ Indians returned from Gulf between March 1–7, 2026; 32,000+ on Indian carriers.
- ~8,000 passengers stranded in Qatar alone at peak of airspace closures.
- Air India and Air India Express: 32 ad-hoc Gulf flights on March 9, 2026.
- Over 6 lakh Indians repatriated from West Asia since conflict began February 28, 2026.
- India-Gulf routes: ~15–20 million passengers/year collectively across all carriers.
- IndiGo domestic market share: ~60%; dominant player on Gulf routes.
- Chicago Convention (1944): Establishes complete and exclusive state sovereignty over national airspace.
- ICAO: 193 member states; Montreal-headquartered; no enforcement power over sovereign airspace decisions.