India has issued a new notification about a possible missile test in the Bay of Bengal. The announcement was made on Tuesday, November 25, stating that the test will likely take place between December 6 and 8. During this period, a no-fly zone will be active, meaning aircraft are not allowed to enter the area. The no-fly zone stretches up to 1,480 kilometres and will remain in effect from 12:30 UTC on December 6 to 15:30 UTC on December 8. Such notifications are common before missile tests to ensure the safety of aircraft and ships in the region.

Before this, India had already issued several NOTAMs (Notice to Airmen). Between November 13 and 17, India released a NOTAM warning pilots about possible GPS interference near Mumbai. Earlier, another NOTAM was issued from October 30 to November 10, just before India carried out a major tri-services military exercise called Exercise Trishul.

Defence analyst Damien Symon also highlighted this development on social media. He noted that pilots and airlines have been warned about interruptions in satellite-based navigation systems. Reports suggested that similar GPS issues had been noticed around New Delhi, raising concerns about wider interference.

The earlier NOTAM in October was linked to the military drill Trishul, which took place close to the Pakistan border. The exercise was held in the western frontier region, specifically around the Sir Creek area. Sir Creek is a 96-kilometre marshy strip located between Gujarat in India and Sindh province in Pakistan. It opens into the Arabian Sea and is considered strategically important.

For this exercise, India reserved 28,000 feet of airspace, indicating large-scale military movement. The drill came at a sensitive time, as tensions between India and Pakistan had risen after Operation Sindoor earlier in the year. Pakistan had also placed temporary airspace restrictions between October 28 and 29, which many analysts saw as a sign that the country was on alert.

What is a NOTAM?

A NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) is an official alert sent through telecommunication to inform pilots about any important changes or hazards. This includes updates about airports, air routes, navigation systems, military drills, or anything that could affect flight safety. According to the Airports Authority of India, NOTAMs ensure that pilots receive essential information on time so they can plan safe flights.