New Delhi:
Today, Pakistan closed its airspace for all flights just hours after accusing India of using commercial aircraft as cover during drone attacks. This decision highlights the escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors and was communicated through a NOTAM to airlines.
The decision followed a night of significant drone activity along India’s northern and western borders, initiated by Pakistan’s coordinated drone strikes targeting military facilities at 26 locations extending from Leh to the Creek Ir area in the south. Key sites included major airfields and military installations. India effectively thwarted each of these attempts.
India has claimed that Pakistan is endangering international air traffic by maintaining open airspace while conducting drone and missile operations.
“Pakistan is utilizing civil airliners as a cover, fully aware that its aggression towards India would provoke a rapid defensive response. This endangers unsuspecting civilian aircraft, including international flights that are operating close to the border,” stated Colonel Sofiya Qureshi of the Army during a press briefing yesterday, alongside Wing Commander Vyomika Singh of the Indian Air Force and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri.
During the report’s compilation, flightradar24 data indicated no aircraft were present in Pakistan’s airspace.
Pakistan dispatched 300-400 drones, reportedly of the Turkish-made Ashigaard Songar model, on the night of May 8th-9th. Many of these drones were intercepted using a mix of movements and electronic warfare tools, including the Barak-8 and S-400 missile defense systems, Akash SAMS, and local anti-drone technologies.
“The considerable scale of this operation indicates a deliberate military effort to evaluate our readiness. We responded appropriately,” Wing Commander Singh mentioned at the briefing.
Targeted locations included Srinagar Airport, Awantipora Airbase, Nagrota, Jammu, Pathankot, Fazilka, and Jaisalmer.
In Ferozpur, three family members were injured when a drone struck a civilian area, although military facilities in India remained unharmed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a high-level security review late on Friday, meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with the Services Chief. Earlier, he consulted with a former military chief about the ongoing crisis.
Home Minister Amit Shah assessed the preparedness of citizens in border provinces, particularly focusing on airports and critical infrastructure.
