On Friday (May 9), India said that Pakistan carried out a large-scale aerial intrusion involving 300 to 400 drones at 36 locations along the Line of Control (LoC) and the western border, stretching from Leh to Sir Creek, during the night of May 8 to 9.

According to Indian officials, the drone swarm and violations of Indian airspace were aimed at targeting military installations and testing India’s air defence systems.

At a joint press briefing held in New Delhi, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was joined by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Indian Army and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force to provide details of the escalation.

Wing Commander Singh said the drones, which entered Indian airspace at multiple points, were used in conjunction with heavy artillery shelling along the LoC. She added that forensic analysis of the debris indicated the use of Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones.

“On the intervening night of May 8 and 9, the Pakistan military violated Indian airspace at multiple points across the western border with the clear intent of targeting military infrastructure,” Singh stated.

“The use of civil airliners as cover during these operations underscores the recklessness and irresponsibility of the Pakistani military establishment,” she added.

She further disclosed that among the attempted targets was the Bathinda military station, which was attacked using an armed Pakistani UAV. The drone was detected and neutralized by India’s defence systems. In retaliation, Indian armed drones struck four air defence sites in Pakistan, destroying at least one radar installation.

Colonel Qureshi elaborated that Pakistan also launched artillery and armed drone attacks on multiple sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, including Tangdhar, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, Rajouri, Akhnoor, and Udhampur.

The attacks resulted in casualties and injuries among Indian personnel, though retaliatory fire inflicted significant losses on Pakistani forces, she added.

This latest round of hostilities followed India’s Operation Sindoor, a military strike carried out in the early hours of May 7 against nine locations inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

The operation was a response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians and which India has blamed on Pakistan-based actors.

Adding to India’s concerns, Singh noted that Pakistan did not shut down its civil airspace during the missile and drone attacks on May 7, potentially endangering civilian lives.

“Pakistan’s decision to keep civil air routes like those between Karachi and Lahore operational even while launching attacks was a calculated move to deter Indian retaliation. This reckless strategy of using civilian aircraft as shields is deeply concerning,” she said.

In anticipation of further escalation, India has closed civil air operations at 28 airports nationwide. Meanwhile, the impact of Thursday night’s escalation was felt deeply along the border regions.

Several areas in Jammu and Kashmir experienced intense shelling, drone and missile strikes, and blackout conditions. One civilian woman was killed and another injured during the attacks.

Residents in Jammu city and along the LoC and International Border endured a harrowing night marked by the sounds of heavy artillery, drone interceptions by integrated defence systems, and repeated air raid sirens.

Authorities enforced a blackout from 10 p.m. Thursday night as a precautionary measure.

The situation remains tense as India maintains a heightened state of alert along the border and diplomatic channels engage with international partners to convey New Delhi’s stance on the unfolding developments.