The Indian government on Friday confirmed that Pakistan’s military launched a large-scale aerial assault on May 8, deploying between 300 and 400 drones to target 36 locations along India’s western border. Initial forensic analysis of drone wreckage has identified them as Turkish-made Asisguard Songar UAVs, commonly used for reconnaissance and precision attacks.
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Addressing a high-level press briefing, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stated, “On the intervening night of May 8 and 9, the Pakistan military violated Indian airspace across the western frontier with the intent to target strategic military infrastructure.”
The drone incursions, attempted from Leh to Sir Creek, marked one of the most extensive aerial intrusions in recent memory.
“These drones were likely used to test India’s air defence systems and gather sensitive intelligence,” Singh added.
The Pakistani military also engaged in heavy-caliber artillery shelling along the Line of Control (LoC), targeting multiple sectors including Sunderbani, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Akhnoor, and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir.
During the same night, an armed Pakistani UAV attempted to strike the Bathinda military station but was swiftly intercepted and neutralised by Indian forces.
India retaliated with precision, launching armed drones that targeted four Pakistani air defence sites. “One of our drones successfully destroyed a Pakistani air defence radar,” the officials confirmed.
Speaking alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Colonel Sofia Qureshi, Singh emphasized that Pakistan also suffered significant losses in India’s counter-attacks.
The escalation comes in the backdrop of heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians. India has since launched Operation Sindoor, a tri-service strike targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Officials said further investigations are ongoing, and India remains on high alert amid concerns of continued cross-border aggression.
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