Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, May 9: On the very first day of the escalated conflict on Thursday, an unequivocal message has gone to Pakistan that India controls its airspace and it is protected by an advanced air defence network “capable of detecting, jamming, and eliminating threats before they breach.”
The message apparently has gone to the Pakistani camp after the Air Force repulsed two waves of drone and missile attacks by Pak targeting Indian military installations in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Punjab which began late May 7 night and rolled over into the early hours of May 8.
Military facilities in or near 15 Indian cities were targeted. But a combination of air defences, including the integrated counter-unmanned aerial system, or C-UAS, network intercepted the missiles, and Israeli-made HARPY drones counter-attacked and disabled Pakistan’s air defence system.
India on Friday made a big disclosure pointing out that Pakistan had used Turkish drones in its unprovoked attack on Indian military installations on Thursday night and that the Indian Air Force had shown considerable restraint in its response and protected its civil airspace.
Briefing media persons on behalf of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh revealed that around 300 to 400 drones were used to attempt infiltration at 36 locations, which the Indian armed forces shot down 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,” they said.
Later, an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) of Pakistan attempted to target the Bhatinda military station, which was detected and neutralised. In response, India launched armed drone strikes at four air defence sites in Pakistan, and one of them was able to neutralise an air defence radar (ADR).
“Pakistan also carried out artillery shelling across the Line of Control (LoC), using heavy caliber artillery guns and armed drones at Tangdhar, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Akhnoor and Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in some losses and injuries to Indian Army personnel. Pakistan Army also suffered major losses in Indian retaliatory firing,” the women officers said at the briefing.
Pakistan’s barrage of artillery fire, drone, and missile attacks on multiple locations in J&K, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat came a day after India conducted strikes against terror hideouts in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). The Indian air defence systems took out almost all the drones that could have caused damage to infrastructure.
India also swarmed Islamabad, Lahore and Rawalpindi with drones, launching multiple retaliatory strikes and forces shot down an F-16 fighter jet in Rajasthan in an effective response to Pakistan’s unprovoked attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan.
The MEA also said Pakistan kept its airspace open even after attacking India to use the civil airspace as a shield as it launched a series of attacks on military installations in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan the night before while the Indian Air Force showed considerable restraint and protected international civil carriers.
The army spokesperson said one Pakistani armed unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was sent to target Bhatinda military station, but the attempt was foiled. Responding to Pakistan’s attack, India launched armed drones at four air defence sites in the country, and one drone destroyed an AD (air defence) radar system, it said.
Blackouts from several cities and towns in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Rajasthan were enforced as drones were sighted from across the border. “Military stations at Jammu and Pathankot and Udhampur were targeted by Pakistani-origin drones and missiles along the International Border in J and K today. The threats were swiftly neutralised using kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities…,” as per a late-night statement by the ministry of defence (MoD).
Indian air defence units successfully intercepted at least eight missiles fired by Pakistan towards the border areas of Jammu, including the strategically important Jammu Airport at Satwari in the evening, defence sources said. The missiles were aimed at key locations, including Satwari (Jammu Airport), Samba, RS Pura, and Arnia, they said.
