Key points
- 57 civilian flights were in Pakistani airspace during the strikes
- Rerouted flights promptly returned to standard corridors after the operation ended
- This was not a navigational error—it was a deliberate and dangerous maneuver: aviation analyst
ISLAMABAD: A new open-source intelligence (OSINT) report has revealed that India rerouted civilian airliners into active conflict zones during Operation Sindoor in early May 2025, allegedly using them as shields to deter retaliation during military strikes on Pakistan.
The findings raise grave concerns about violations of international law and civilian safety, according to an OA2C Tech report.
According to flight tracking data and satellite imagery analysed by OSINT experts, multiple commercial flights—including those operated by Thai Airways, Kuwait Airways, Qatar Airways, and KLM—were redirected from their standard routes and placed dangerously close to Indian Air Force (IAF) strike zones. These deviations occurred around 19:00 UTC on May 6 (00:00 PST, May 7), coinciding with IAF attacks on nine sites in Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) responded minutes later, but the presence of civilian aircraft in the area reportedly limited their engagement options. PAF briefings, supported by flight logs and visual data shared by OSINT analyst @Callsign_Ciphar, confirmed that 57 civilian flights were in Pakistani airspace during the strikes. The rerouted flights promptly returned to standard corridors after the operation ended.
“Deliberate and dangerous maneuver”
“This was not a navigational error—it was a deliberate and dangerous maneuver,” said an aviation analyst Fahad Masood, who contributed to the report published by OA2C Tech. The investigation concludes that Indian military planners and Air Traffic Control coordinated to position civilian planes in operational airspace, potentially to inhibit Pakistan’s ability to respond.
International law experts warn that this tactic violates both the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute. Using civilians to shield military objectives is considered a war crime under Article 8(2)(b)(xxiii) of the Rome Statute.
Had Pakistani forces responded less precisely, the presence of civilian aircraft could have led to catastrophic losses. The OSINT report calls on global bodies, including the UN and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), to launch formal inquiries and hold India accountable for endangering international civilian flights.
“This is not just a regional issue—it’s a global precedent that must not be ignored,” the OA2C Tech report concludes.
