India Issues NOTAM For Major IAF Exercise Across Northeast Borders; Pakistan Responds With Naval Exercise
The drills, scheduled to occur in multiple phases between November 2025 and January 2026, will focus on strengthening India’s operational readiness in the strategically sensitive region.
India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) covering its entire northeastern region bordering China, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh. The alert has been issued for a large-scale Indian Air Force (IAF) exercise in the region.
The drills, scheduled to occur in multiple phases between November 2025 and January 2026, will focus on strengthening India’s operational readiness in the strategically sensitive region. The first phase will commence on Nov. 6, with exercises planned on a total of six occasions till January.
According to the notification, the IAF exercises in the region will be active on six specific dates: Nov. 6 and 20; Dec. 4 and 18; and Jan. 1 and 15, 2026.
Satellite imagery analyst Damien Symon shared illustrations on X.
Ahead of IAF’s planned drill in the northeast on Nov. 6, India is currently conducting its tri-service military exercise, ‘Ex Trishul’. The drills commenced on Oct. 30, along the western border with Pakistan, and will continue till Nov. 11. It is aimed at demonstrating the joint operational strength and strategic preparedness of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
The large-scale drills will cover Gujarat and Rajasthan. The exercise involves over 20,000 personnel, supported by T-90S and Arjun tanks, missile systems, attack helicopters, Rafale and Sukhoi-30MKI fighters and naval frigates and destroyers.
The opening phase of the operation will be led by the Navy, followed by the Army and the IAF in the later stages.
Notably, India’s Ex Trishul exercise will coincide with Pakistan’s naval firing drills near Sir Creek in the sensitive region. This follows as Pakistan has issued yet another Navigational Area (Navarea) warning for its live naval firing exercises in the Arabian Sea.
Pakistan's exercises, scheduled from Nov. 2 to 5, will coincide with India’s drills running from Oct. 30 to Nov. 11. Pakistan’s planned naval exercise will take place near the disputed Sir Creek region, close to India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The 135-kilometre Navarea alert warns commercial and civilian vessels to steer clear of the zone during the exercise period.
The latest notification adds to the series of NOTAMs and Navarea warnings that have been issued by Pakistan for November. These alerts imposed multiple airspace and maritime restrictions.
