Pakistan Launches 300-400 Turkish Drones at 36 Indian Sites During Operation Sindoor; India Reports 16 Killed, Retaliates

Between May 7 and 9, 2025, Pakistan launched a large-scale aerial operation against India, deploying 300 to 400 Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones across 36 locations along India's western border. The attacks targeted military installations and infrastructure in regions including Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Ladakh, with cities such as Srinagar, Pathankot, Amritsar, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Bhuj, and the Siachen glacier base camp affected. Indian authorities identified the drones as Asisguard Songar UAVs, capable of being armed with automatic machine guns, grenade launchers, and mortars, and equipped with real-time video transmission and autonomous or manual flight control. Forensic analysis of drone debris, including debris found in Amritsar, is ongoing to confirm their origin. Most of the drones used in the operation were reportedly unarmed, with some fitted with cameras for surveillance and intelligence gathering. Indian air defense systems, including the Akash missile defense system and electronic jamming, intercepted or neutralized the majority of the drones and missiles, preventing significant damage. At least 50 drones were shot down by air defense guns and another 20 neutralized through electronic jamming. The Indian government stated that the primary intent of the drone incursion was to test India's air defense capabilities and gather intelligence. During the same period, Pakistan also fired heavy-caliber weapons along the Line of Control. Indian officials reported 16 casualties, including a soldier, from ongoing cross-border fire. In response, India claims to have inflicted heavy damage on Pakistani military assets, including retaliatory strikes on four air defense sites, and is conducting forensic investigations on the wreckage. The incident, referred to as Operation Sindoor, follows heightened tensions after a recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and subsequent Indian strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Pakistan's Foreign Office has denied the allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated. Pakistan also recently unveiled its Shahpar-III drone.