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India Neutralizes 26 Pakistani Drone Strikes Across 4 States, Launches Retaliatory Strike
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated sharply on Friday night as the Indian military repelled 26 armed drone strikes across Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. The aggressive cross-border actions from Pakistan, the second in two days, triggered widespread panic and fears of a full-scale conflict.
One of the most serious incidents occurred in Ferozepur, Punjab, where a Pakistani drone strike injured three civilians. Indian forces immediately responded with a proportional counter-strike, targeting Pakistan’s air defence systems at four locations and destroying at least one radar installation, according to officials.
Drones were observed over a vast arc — from Baramulla and Srinagar in the north to Bhuj in the west. The Indian Army reported that all aerial threats were intercepted using advanced counter-drone technologies and surface-to-air missile systems.
This attack followed Thursday’s incursion, where 300–400 Turkish-origin armed drones were launched by Pakistan against 36 Indian military sites, allegedly using civilian airliners as cover. India had previously retaliated by destroying one Pakistani air defence site. The use of civil aviation by Pakistan has drawn international criticism.
According to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, some of these drones were intended for surveillance, while others were weaponized. She confirmed that India shot down most of them using kinetic (hard-kill) and non-kinetic (soft-kill) technologies, including jamming systems and interceptor missiles.
Civilian areas were evacuated in parts of Rajasthan and Punjab, as blackouts and air raid sirens were activated. In Baramulla, residents reported hearing multiple explosions, while visuals captured golden interception streaks lighting up the sky.
The Pakistani aggression follows India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on Wednesday, targeting nine terror bases operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) across Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir using Scalp missiles, Hammer bombs, and loitering munitions.
Friday marked the third wave of drone warfare since Operation Sindoor. India’s latest counterattack saw armed drones targeting four air defence installations, with one radar destroyed.
Adding to the growing crisis, the Indian government has confirmed that Pakistan-based terror group The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of LeT, was behind the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists. Forensic tracking linked the attackers directly to Pakistani nationals.
With both countries now on high alert, India has shut down airspace in affected regions, while Pakistan has continued flying civilian aircraft, risking international condemnation.
“This is one of the most dangerous escalations in recent history,” said Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. “India continues to respond with restraint but will defend every inch of its territory.”
