An Air India flight operating on the Delhi–Amritsar sector briefly entered Pakistani airspace on Monday night following a technical malfunction in its navigation system, according to official sources.
The Airbus A321, operating as Flight AI-463, departed from Indira Gandhi International Airport at 9:18 PM. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft reportedly experienced a navigation system failure that led to an unintended westward deviation across the International Border.
Sources said the breach was promptly detected by Pakistani Air Traffic Control (ATC), which immediately alerted the crew. The pilots subsequently corrected the flight path and re-entered Indian airspace.
Despite the course correction, the aircraft faced further operational constraints upon approaching Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport in Amritsar around 10:30 PM due to congestion and unavailability of an immediate landing slot. Air traffic control then directed the flight to return to Delhi as a precautionary measure.
The aircraft landed safely in the national capital for technical inspection. After necessary clearances, it later departed again and successfully landed in Amritsar at approximately 2:20 AM on Tuesday, nearly four hours behind schedule.
Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have not yet issued detailed statements on the nature of the navigation malfunction. Aviation authorities are expected to carry out a routine investigation into the incident.
The episode comes a month after a Pakistan International Airlines flight briefly entered Indian airspace due to adverse weather conditions before being safely guided back by Indian air traffic control.
