India has leveled serious accusations against Pakistan following a wave of drone incursions and airspace violations that it claims were aimed at targeting Indian military sites across the western border. According to Indian officials, Pakistan deployed approximately 300 to 400 drones at 36 different locations, spanning from Leh to Sir Creek, on the night of May 8–9, 2025.
During a joint press briefing by the Ministry of External Affairs and Indian defense forces, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force (IAF) stated that the drone incursion was a deliberate attempt to test India’s air defense capabilities and gather sensitive intelligence. More alarmingly, she accused Pakistan of employing civilian airliners as shields during the operation, while failing to close its civil airspace amid active hostilities—an action she termed “deeply irresponsible.”
The Indian military responded swiftly, using a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic systems to neutralize the incoming drones. Preliminary forensic analysis revealed that many of the intercepted UAVs were Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones, known for their real-time surveillance and strike capabilities. Singh further revealed that a Pakistani armed drone targeting the Bathinda military station was detected and destroyed before it could inflict damage.
In retaliation, India launched armed drone strikes against four Pakistani air defense sites, destroying at least one radar installation. These strikes came shortly after Operation Sindoor, India’s precision campaign launched in the early hours of May 7, which targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The operation was a direct response to a terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22 that left 26 civilians dead.
Since then, the LoC and the International Border have witnessed increased military action, with heavy shelling reported in Tangdhar, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Akhnoor, and Udhampur. Indian Army personnel suffered casualties, and retaliatory strikes reportedly caused substantial losses on the Pakistani side.
Civilian areas were not spared either. A woman was killed and another injured during overnight shelling on May 8, which also triggered blackouts and air raid sirens in Jammu and surrounding villages, as residents endured a tense night filled with the sounds of artillery and air defense activity.
India took precautionary measures by closing its airspace and suspending operations at 28 airports nationwide. In contrast, Pakistan kept its civil airspace open, allowing commercial flights—including a Flynas Airbus A320 flying from Dammam to Lahore—to operate dangerously close to active military zones, raising alarms about aviation safety.
This incident marks another chapter in a broader trend of increasing drone intrusions along the India-Pakistan border. Data shows that drone sightings more than tripled from 2020 to 2022, with Indian officials repeatedly accusing Pakistan of using UAVs for smuggling weapons and narcotics.
As both nations continue their military posturing, the international community remains deeply concerned about the escalating conflict and the growing risk to civilian aviation and regional stability in South Asia.
