New Delhi— In a high-level press briefing on Friday evening, senior officials from the Indian Armed Forces and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) accused Pakistan of launching large-scale drone attacks on Indian territory while deceptively keeping its airspace open for civilian aircraft, risking international air safety.
The briefing—conducted by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh—highlighted Pakistan’s provocative military escalation, following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 innocent lives.
According to the officials, Pakistan launched 300 to 400 drones targeting civilian buildings, military installations, and religious sites across northern India. Despite the scale of the operation, Pakistan did not close its civil airspace, allegedly using civilian flights as shields during its attacks.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, “. . . Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7 May at 08:30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliner as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response. This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners including the international flights which were flying near IB between India and Pakistan. The screenshot we just showed, it shows the data of the application flight radar 24 during a high air defence alert situation in the Punjab sector. As you have seen, the airspace on the Indian side is absolutely devoid of civil air traffic due to our declared closure. However, there are civil airlines flying the air route between Karachi and Lahore . . . Indian Air Force demonstrated considerable restraint in its response thus ensuring safety of international civil carriers.”
Colonel Qureshi detailed the scale and technical nature of the intrusion. She said, “Around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations. The Indian armed forces shot down many of these drones using kinetic and non-kinetic means. The possible purpose of such large-scale aerial intrusions was to test air defence systems and collect intelligence. Forensic investigation of the wreckage of the drones is being done. Initial reports suggest that they are Turkish Asisguard Songar drones…”
In retaliation, India launched its own counter-operations.Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said, “In response to the Pakistani attack, armed drones were launched at four air defence sites in Pakistan. One of the drones was able to destroy an AD radar. Pakistan also carried out artillery shelling across the line of control using heavy-calibre artillery guns and armed drones . . . which resulted in some losses and injuries to Indian army personnel. Pakistan army also suffered major losses in Indian retaliatory fire.”
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri strongly condemned the attack and Pakistan’s attempts to distort the truth.He said, “. . . These provocative and escalatory actions taken by Pakistan last night were targeted at Indian cities and civilian infrastructure in addition to military establishments. Indian armed forces responded proportionately, adequately, and responsibly . . . The official and blatantly farsical denial of these attacks that Pakistan carried out, by the Pakistani state machinery is another example of their duplicity and the new depths, they are plumbing to . . .”
He also dismissed Pakistan’s efforts to stir communal tensions. Foreign Secretary Misri added, “. . . Instead of owning up to its actions, Pakistan made the preposterous and outrageous claims that it is the Indian armed forces that is targeting its own cities like Amritsar and trying to blame Pakistan . . .They are well-versed in such actions as their history would show… Pakistan spread disinformation that India targeted the Nankama Sahib Gurdwara through a drone attack, which is yet another blatant lie . . . Pakistan is trying desperately to impart a communal hue to the situation with an intention to create a communal discord . . . “