Pak targeted 36 places with 300-400 'Turkish' drones: Govt
The government stated that the likely objective behind these large-scale aerial intrusions was to assess India’s air defence capabilities and collect intelligence.
News Arena Network - New Delhi - UPDATED: May 9, 2025, 08:34 PM - 2 min read
The government briefing on Pakistan's attack on Indian cities on May 8.
The Indian government on Friday confirmed that Turkish-made drones were likely used by the Pakistan military during the coordinated aerial attacks on Indian cities on Thursday.
In a joint press briefing, senior defence officials revealed that preliminary forensic analysis of the debris from intercepted drones points to the use of “Assisguard Songar” unmanned aerial vehicles, a Turkish model typically employed for surveillance and precision targeting operations. Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, who co-led the media briefing alongside Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, stated that the Pakistan military had conducted multiple violations of Indian airspace during the night of May 8-9.
These incursions occurred along the entire western border with the apparent aim of targeting key military infrastructure. Singh also noted that Pakistan forces fired heavy-caliber weapons along the Line of Control (LoC), escalating hostilities further.
The intrusion attempts were extensive. According to official accounts, approximately 300 to 400 drones and other non-kinetic aerial platforms were deployed from Leh to Sir Creek, targeting 36 locations along both the International Border and the LoC. The government suggested that the main objectives behind these large-scale aerial operations were to test India’s air defence systems and to collect strategic intelligence.
One particularly grave moment during the night involved an armed UAV attempting to strike the Bathinda military station. Indian forces detected the threat in time and successfully neutralised the hostile drone before it could cause damage.
India responded decisively to the aggression. Armed drones were deployed to strike four air defence sites within Pakistani territory. One of these UAVs reportedly succeeded in destroying an enemy air defence radar system.
The cross-border confrontation was not limited to drone warfare. Pakistan also launched artillery attacks across the LoC, deploying heavy-caliber artillery guns and armed drones against Indian positions in Sunderbani, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Akhnoor, and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir. These assaults resulted in injuries and some casualties among Indian Army personnel. However, Indian retaliation inflicted significant losses on the Pakistan Army, officials said.
The press conference, led by Foreign Secretary Misri, Wing Commander Singh, and Colonel Qureshi, underscored the seriousness of the ongoing border escalation and India’s resolve to safeguard its territorial integrity and respond to any hostile actions with equal force.
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