Air travel across India faced major disruption after a volcanic eruption in Ethiopia sent massive ash clouds drifting across several countries and eventually into Indian airspace. The impact was felt nationwide as many flights were cancelled or forced to operate with delays.
The civil aviation ministry said it was coordinating closely with air traffic control, the India Meteorological Department, airlines, and global aviation bodies to manage the situation and minimize inconvenience to passengers. Officials emphasized that uninterrupted communication and monitoring were underway at all levels.
After the volcano erupted, the ash plume moved over Yemen, Oman and the Arabian Sea before reaching Gujarat and Rajasthan on Monday evening. Around midnight it edged toward Delhi, and throughout Tuesday it continued spreading across eastern and northeastern regions of the country.
The ministry, in a post on X, stated that it was keeping a close watch on the developments and would keep travelers informed with regular updates. It added that flight operations across India were still functioning smoothly, with the Airports Authority of India issuing the necessary advisories and alerting pilots and airlines as required. Officials reassured the public that there was no immediate reason to worry.
According to the IMD, the volcanic ash cloud is passing through the upper troposphere and is gradually moving toward China. The agency clarified that the cloud has no effect on India’s local weather or ground-level air quality and that the main influence is on aviation routes operating at higher altitudes. The IMD expects the plume to exit Indian airspace completely by Tuesday evening.
Flightradar24 has been mapping the movement of the ash cloud as well, noting that it is currently positioned over northern India and advancing quickly toward Chinese territory.
Narottam Sahoo, an advisor to the Gujarat Council on Science and Technology, said that the Ethiopian volcano had been dormant for nearly twelve thousand years and became active again due to tectonic shifts in the region.
Based on current assessments from the IMD, the ash cloud is expected to clear out of India by 14:00 GMT, which corresponds to approximately 7:30 in the evening according to local time.
