‘Turkey-made drones, civilian planes used as shields’: MEA on Pakistan’s failed incursion | India News

NEW DELHI: The ministry of exterior affairs on Friday briefed the nation about quickly escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, revealing particulars about Pakistan’s current cross-border provocations. The MEA stated that the Pakistani army launched round 300 to 400 drones, recognized as Turkish-made Asisguard Songar models-towards Indian positions whereas additionally utilizing civilian airliners as a protect to discourage Indian counterattacks.However, nearly all of Pakistan-launched drones had been intercepted and destroyed by Indian air defence system.Despite initiating drone and missile strikes late Thursday night time, Pakistan saved its civil airspace open, permitting industrial plane to function dangerously near the International Border. This, MEA officers stated, was a deliberate try and complicate India’s defensive response and endanger harmless passengers.Colonel Sofiya Qureshi detailed the size and intent of the assault: “On the night of May 7 and 8, the Pakistani army violated Indian airspace several times over the entire western border with the intention of targeting military infrastructure. Not only this, the Pakistani army also fired heavy caliber weapons along the Line of Control. 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…”The Indian Air Force (IAF), in a high-alert state, ensured the protection of airspace on its aspect by suspending all civilian air visitors. However, Pakistani industrial flights had been nonetheless airborne close to the battle zone.Wing Commander Vyomika Singh highlighted the grave danger posed by this tactic: “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.”Foreign secretary Vikram Misri condemned Pakistan’s actions as each provocative and irresponsible: “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…”Wing Commander Singh confirmed: “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.”On May 7, India launched its main counterterror motion below Operation Sindoor, that focused 9 terror launchpads in Pakistan and PoK. This motion got here in robust retaliation to Pakistan-sponsored terror assault in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives on April 22.