India Extends NOTAM for Missile Test: Coverage Now Stretches to 4,795 km

India’s civil aviation authority has extended an earlier Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) for a planned missile test on August 20–21. The revised NOTAM now addresses a sweeping 4,795-kilometre range, far larger than previous public estimates.

This extension practically doubles the safety zone to a massive part of the Indian Ocean region, highlighting the scale of the proposed missile exercise.

Previous Public Estimates
Prior to the extension, various sources had put the test zone at a much shorter range—1,560 km to 2,530 km from Odisha’s coast.

Why It Matters

• Scale of Exercise: The leap from approximately 1,500–2,500 km to almost 4,800 km points towards a large missile test, potentially evaluating long-range class systems extending deep into the Indian Ocean.
• Aviation Safety: Naval ships and civilian airplanes will need to divert in order to not enter potentially unsafe corridors while the exercise is underway.
• Strategic Messaging: The lengthened NOTAM could be indicative of India testing or authenticating capabilities such as intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) ranges or long-range cruise missiles.

Strategic Importance

Experts think that this deployment may be connected to India’s ongoing build-up of strategic deterrence weapons under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Although the Agni-V is officially listed for 5,000–5,500 km range, an extended NOTAM might suggest full-range operational testing or even a canisterised launch system verification. The site of the exclusion zone—far into the Indian Ocean—corresponds to India’s past pattern of strategic missile tests, in which mock warheads are fired at predetermined points of impact well away from sea lanes.

Geopolitical Background

• The test schedule coincides with increasing military activity in the neighborhood:
• China has recently carried out missile exercises in the South China Sea.
• Pakistan has been updating its missile fleet with Chinese support.
• India itself has been conducting Operation Sindoor, an extensive military exercise with the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Experts maintain that such tests not only confirm weapons performance but also act as strategic signalling to likely opponents.