Seven Flights Diverted After Suspected Drone Activity Near Amritsar Airport

Flight operations at Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport were suspended for around 90 minutes on Sunday night after suspected drone-like objects were detected near the airport's operational area and runway, forcing seven incoming flights to be diverted.

The incident occurred at around 9:45 pm, when the Indian Air Force (IAF) alerted Air Traffic Control (ATC) about suspected drone activity across the airfield. Several aircraft were already holding in the area awaiting permission to land.

Airport Director Anirudh Kumar Sharma said authorities activated the airport's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for drone sightings and convened a Joint Action Committee in the control tower. After assessing that the suspected activity could disrupt scheduled landings and pose a safety risk, the airport suspended operations at around 9:50 pm.

Of the seven flights affected, two were diverted to Chandigarh and five to Delhi. The flights included services operated by Malaysia Airlines, IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express. Two of the affected flights were international services.

The Joint Action Committee reviewed the situation at around 11 pm and found no further drone activity. The airport reopened for normal operations at approximately 11:15 pm. Five of the seven diverted flights subsequently returned to Amritsar, while one Air India flight that had been diverted to Delhi was cancelled. A Malaysia Airlines service was expected to arrive later.

The incident prompted an immediate security response, with the Punjab Police, CISF and other central security agencies alerted and security arrangements strengthened around the airport.

A subsequent police investigation provided an important development. According to police, the drones were reportedly being operated to film a sports tournament in a nearby village rather than as part of a confirmed hostile activity. However, drone operations are prohibited within an 8-km radius of the airport, making the incident a violation of aviation safety restrictions.

Police are investigating how the drones came to operate so close to the airport and whether further action is warranted. The incident highlights the serious aviation risks posed by unauthorised drones near active airport runways, even when there is no apparent malicious intent.