The airspace over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands was closed for three hours on Friday morning as part of a high-altitude weapon test conducted by India’s only tri-services command, the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), CNBC TV-18 reported.
According to senior defence officials, the closure, which lasted from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM IST, was part of a scheduled testing operation, with a similar closure planned for the same time window on Saturday, May 24.
“Today, a high-altitude weapon test was successfully conducted. Another test is scheduled for tomorrow,” a senior ANC official said to CNBC TV-18. “These are routine procedures in this region, and similar tests have been carried out in the past.”
A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was issued on May 16, alerting aviation authorities and civilian airlines of the airspace restrictions. “No civilian aircraft will be allowed to fly over the designated zone on May 23 and 24,” the official said.
The restricted airspace includes a corridor up to 500 kilometers in length and is effective between 01:30 and 04:30 UTC (7:00 AM to 10:00 AM IST), the NOTAM noted.
The Andaman and Nicobar Command, headquartered in Port Blair, is India’s only unified command integrating the Army, Navy, and Air Force under a single operational authority. Its strategic location in the eastern Indian Ocean makes it a key outpost for military operations and testing.
While the exact nature of the weapon tested was not disclosed, defence officials emphasized that the exercise was part of routine operational preparedness and aligned with standard military protocols.
