In an unprecedented escalation, Pakistan launched between 300 to 400 Turkish-origin drones late on May 8, targeting Indian military installations across multiple states including Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Punjab, Ladakh, and Gujarat. The government confirmed all drones were either intercepted or neutralised, terming the incident a “blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement.”
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, speaking at a press briefing on Friday evening, detailed the scale of the operation, revealing that drones were seen from Srinagar to Jaisalmer and as far as the Siachen base camp and Kutch — a span of nearly 1,400 kilometres. While 50 drones were shot down using air defence guns, an additional 20 were rendered inoperable through radio frequency jamming.
Most of the drones were unarmed, but many carried surveillance equipment, suggesting a coordinated attempt to probe India’s air defence readiness. Sources identified the drones as Asiguard SONGAR models, which are capable of operating in both day and night conditions and have a range of up to 5 km.
Col Qureshi confirmed that the drone attack coincided with ongoing small arms and artillery fire along the Line of Control (LoC), which has claimed the lives of 16 Indians, including a soldier.
In retaliation, Indian forces reportedly inflicted “heavy damage” on Pakistani military positions, dismantled air defence systems, and intercepted all incoming threats.
Indian air defences, including the indigenous Akash missile system, were instrumental in blunting the second wave of the attack. The Akash system is comparable in capability to Israel’s Iron Dome and demonstrated India’s growing self-reliance in countering airborne threats.
Debris from the downed drones and intercepted missiles has been recovered, including in Punjab’s Amritsar region. This material will undergo forensic analysis to establish deeper links between Pakistan and cross-border terrorism.
The incident followed India’s precision strike operation codenamed Operation Sindoor, which earlier destroyed nine terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir without targeting any military assets. The drone assault is widely seen as a retaliatory move by Pakistan, though its execution failed to breach Indian airspace defenses.
Government sources emphasized the efficiency of India’s integrated aerial defence and surveillance network, declaring that India not only protects its skies but now “controls them.” The situation marks one of the most intense aerial confrontations in recent times and underscores the evolving nature of modern warfare involving drone technology and electronic countermeasures.
The Ministry of Defence has stated that the ceasefire violations and targeted use of surveillance drones will be raised through diplomatic and international channels. The situation along the LoC remains tense but under control.
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