(Image source from: x.com/PMOIndia)
In a brief period this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened with the three heads of the armed forces on Friday as tensions between India and Pakistan reached a peak not seen in almost thirty years. Earlier in the week, specifically on Wednesday, India executed air strikes termed Operation Sindoor targeting what it identified as "terrorist infrastructure" in Pakistan. This action followed a deadly incident that occurred two weeks prior in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 individuals lost their lives in an attack against tourists. Following this, on the night of May 8-9, the Pakistani military launched several assaults using drones and various munitions along the western border, which, according to the Indian Army, were "effectively repulsed." Additionally, the Indian Army reported numerous ceasefire breaches by Pakistani forces along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir in a statement released early in the morning on social media platform X. Furthermore, the central government has authorized the Army Chief to mobilize "every officer and every enrolled person" of the Territorial Army (TA) for essential guarding duties or to assist the regular Army.
On late Thursday night, Pakistan reportedly deployed between 300 and 400 Turkish drones in attacks targeting Indian military facilities spread across approximately 36 locations in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab—from Srinagar to Jaisalmer and Pathankot, as stated by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during a press conference on Friday evening. Drones were also observed over the Siachen glacier base camp in Ladakh and in the Kutch region of Gujarat, revealing the extensive reach of the assault despite the two locations being almost 1,400 kilometers apart. According to Colonel Qureshi, Indian air defense systems managed to shoot down 50 of these drones and jammed an additional 20 through radio frequency interference. The majority of the drones were reported to be unarmed, implying that Pakistan might have been testing India's defense capabilities; however, numerous drones were equipped with cameras that potentially transmitted video back to stations in Pakistan.
Sources indicate that Pakistan deployed Asiguard SONGAR drones, which the manufacturer claims are suitable for "effective military and security operations at any time of day or night" and have a range of 5 kilometers. The launch of hundreds of drones, all of which were intercepted or neutralized by India's air defense systems, constituted a clear violation of the ceasefire, according to Colonel Qureshi. She also noted ongoing small arms fire and artillery shelling across the Line of Control, resulting in the deaths of 16 Indians, including a soldier. In retaliation, the Indian military inflicted significant damage on Pakistani forces, successfully shooting down many of the drones and missiles and disrupting Pakistan's air defense capabilities.
