Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, May 9: In a brazen escalation of hostilities, Pakistan launched between 300 and 400 Turkish-origin drones late Thursday night targeting Indian military installations across Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi confirmed in a Friday evening briefing. The swarm of drones also reached strategic points as far apart as the Siachen base camp in Ladakh and Gujarat’s Kutch region, spanning nearly 1,400 km.
“Fifty drones were shot down by our air defence units, and 20 more were neutralised through radio frequency jamming,” Col Qureshi stated. Most drones were unarmed, hinting at a possible reconnaissance operation by Pakistan to test India’s aerial preparedness, though many were equipped with surveillance cameras believed to have transmitted footage back to Pakistan.
The drones, identified as Asiguard SONGAR models, are combat-capable and designed for round-the-clock military use with a 5-km operational range. In addition to the drone swarm, a missile launched from Pakistan landed near a village in Punjab, and debris from downed drones was recovered in areas like Amritsar.
“This was a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement,” Col Qureshi said, citing simultaneous incidents of small arms and artillery fire along the LoC, which led to the death of 16 Indians, including a soldier. In retaliation, the Indian military reportedly inflicted "heavy damage" on Pakistani forces and neutralised their air defence networks.
The drone offensive followed India’s Operation Sindoor, a precision strike earlier on May 7 that destroyed nine terror camps in Pakistan and PoJK without targeting any Pakistani military bases. The attacks from Pakistan are seen as a direct response to that operation.
Indian air defence systems, including the integrated counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) and the indigenous Akash missile system likened to Israel’s Iron Dome successfully intercepted the waves of incoming threats. Sources stated the swift and effective neutralisation of these attacks underscores India's “aerial dominance.”
“India is not just defending its skies... it now controls them,” sources affirmed, adding that the analysis of debris will bolster India’s case against Pakistan's involvement in cross-border terrorism.
As tension mounts, India remains on high alert, prepared for further provocations.