In a strongly worded media briefing, top Indian defence and foreign ministry officials accused Pakistan of using civilian airliners as a shield during a series of failed drone and missile attacks on Indian territory earlier this week. The briefing was led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, and Colonel Sofiya Qureshi.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh stated that Pakistan did not close its civilian airspace during the attack on the evening of May 7, despite the elevated risk. "Pakistan is using civil airliners as cover, knowing that any attack on India would prompt a swift air defence response," she said. Singh emphasised the grave risk this poses to unsuspecting civilian flights, including international carriers flying near the India-Pakistan international border.
She also presented radar data from the flight tracking app FlightRadar24, which revealed that while Indian airspace was cleared of civilian traffic due to the declared air defence alert, Pakistani commercial flights continued operating between Karachi and Lahore. "This shows India's responsibility and restraint," she added, noting that the Indian Air Force chose not to escalate to protect civilian aircraft.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi provided additional details on the aggression, accusing the Pakistani army of repeated violations of Indian airspace throughout the night of May 7 and 8. "They attempted to target military infrastructure and even fired heavy calibre weapons along the Line of Control," she said.
She revealed that Pakistan deployed between 300 and 400 drones in coordinated attempts to infiltrate 36 different locations across the western border. Indian forces neutralised many of the drones using both kinetic and non-kinetic countermeasures. "The likely objective of this large-scale drone activity was to test our air defence systems and gather intelligence," she said.
Initial forensic analysis of the downed drones suggests they were Turkish-made Songar drones, manufactured by Asisguard, according to Qureshi.
The attempted attacks reportedly extended from Leh in the north to Sir Creek in the south, targeting military zones with drone swarms. Colonel Qureshi stressed that the Indian armed forces remain on high alert and continue to closely monitor the situation.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri underlined that India has already conveyed its concerns to the international community and will respond appropriately to safeguard national security.
The Ministry of External Affairs reiterated India's commitment to protecting civilian lives and infrastructure while warning that Pakistan's actions could have serious consequences if repeated.
