Mumbai: In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, India launched retaliatory drone strikes on Pakistani military assets in Lahore and Sialkot early Friday morning, following a wave of missile and drone attacks by Pakistan across multiple Indian states late Thursday night. The sharp rise in tensions marks a dangerous turn in the standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
Pakistan’s overnight strikes targeted high-value civilian and military infrastructure in India, including the Jammu airport, an army installation in Udhampur, and sensitive zones in Akhnoor, Pathankot, Jaisalmer, and other border areas spanning Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.
India’s Ministry of Defence confirmed that advanced air defence systems, including the Russian-origin S-400 platform, were instrumental in intercepting the Pakistani onslaught. Two Pakistani drones were downed near Jammu University, while additional drone sightings were reported in the Kutch region of Gujarat.
In retaliation, India launched a calibrated series of drone strikes on key Pakistani military installations, including air defence radar sites in Lahore. One Pakistani air defence system was reportedly neutralised, marking a significant blow to Pakistan’s military capability in the region.
This is the second major exchange in less than 48 hours, following India’s earlier response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. Under Operation SINDOOR, India had carried out precision missile strikes on May 7–8, hitting nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Indian officials maintain that these strikes were measured, avoided civilian and military targets, and aimed solely at terror infrastructure.
India’s swift and strategic countermeasures appear to have disrupted Pakistan’s plans for a more extensive retaliation. Pakistani missile and drone strikes targeting cities like Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, and Chandigarh were effectively neutralised by India’s air defence grid.
As a precautionary measure, several areas in Jammu, Punjab, and Rajasthan have been placed under total blackout, with air raid sirens sounding in districts such as Kishtwar, Akhnoor, and Jammu. Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police, S.P. Vaid, confirmed reports of loud explosions and suspected missile activity in the region, while urging calm and expressing confidence in the Indian Armed Forces.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being regularly briefed on developments, as military and diplomatic leadership weigh further responses. India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri reiterated India’s position: “We do not seek escalation, but any further aggression from Pakistan will be met with appropriate and precise force.”
The global community has voiced increasing concern, urging both countries to de-escalate and return to diplomatic engagement to avoid a broader conflict.
As the situation remains fluid and volatile, both armed forces continue to operate under high alert along the Line of Control and the International Border.
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