In a dramatic escalation, India on Friday blamed Pakistan for conducting a coordinated cross-border drone attack with Turkish-made drones using commercial airliners as cover. Speaking during a press briefing, Ministry of External Affairs Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said, “On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace multiple times along the entire western border, aiming to target military infrastructure.”
Qureshi states that Pakistan launched between 300 and 400 drones to penetrate 36 key targets. In addition, the Pakistani military allegedly employed heavy-calibre weapons on the Line of Control. Though the strikes were meant to gather intelligence and probe India’s air defence capabilities, the Indian armed forces quickly knocked out most of the drones through the use of both kinetic and non-kinetic measures.
Interestingly, the Colonel also confirmed that commercial airlines were used by Pakistan as a cover when the country made its incursion. “Col Qureshi indicates the image of a commercial flight that flew during that period,” confirmed the briefing.
India, in turn, said that some of its soldiers were wounded in the drone attacks, with forensic experts now examining wreckage from the drones. “Preliminary findings indicate they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones,” added Qureshi.
One UAV had been said to try and attack the Bathinda Air Force Station, which questions the purpose and nature of these intrusions seriously. With escalating tensions, both governments are increasingly under international pressure.
