India’s integrated air defence network successfully thwarted a large-scale Pakistani drone and missile offensive late Wednesday night, targeting multiple military installations across the northern and western regions of the country. This marked one of the most significant uses of India’s counter-UAS (Unmanned Aerial Systems) capabilities in recent times.
According to defence and security establishment sources, Pakistan launched a barrage of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), loitering munitions, and missiles at around 15 key Indian military locations. These included air bases in Pathankot, Srinagar, Awantipura, and other strategic facilities in Jammu, Amritsar, Chandigarh, and further west to Bhuj.
India’s Integrated Air Command and Control System (IACCS), which links a nationwide radar grid and air defence assets, detected the incoming aerial threats well in advance. The alert was quickly disseminated across air defence units, which promptly engaged the threats using a combination of S-400 and Akash missile systems, along with various jamming and spoofing technologies.
Officials confirmed that no Indian military installation was directly hit, crediting the swift response of the air defence systems and the IACCS’s early warning capabilities. Debris from the intercepted drones and missiles is currently being recovered and examined as evidence of the attempted strikes.
The Ministry of Defence, in an official statement, confirmed Pakistan’s attempted escalation and the specific targeting of critical military assets. The ministry also revealed that Operation Sindoor had placed Indian air defences on high alert in the western sector prior to the attack.
In a calculated counter-strike, Indian forces launched kamikaze drones into Pakistani territory, with one key target being an air defence installation in Lahore. The Ministry claimed the system in Lahore was neutralised, indicating the drones had successfully breached Pakistani airspace despite active defences.
Pakistan’s military, through its Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), acknowledged Indian attacks in various regions including Attock, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, and near Karachi. While ISPR claimed most attacks were thwarted, they admitted that four soldiers were injured in the Lahore strike.
The Indian strike reportedly focused on degrading Pakistan’s air defence infrastructure, including Chinese-origin HQ-9B systems deployed in key zones. As tensions simmer, both nations have not confirmed any further escalation, but defence observers suggest the latest exchange marks a sharp uptick in cross-border military activity driven by advanced drone warfare and precision-strike capabilities.
