The India-Pakistan drone war has opened a dangerous and historic chapter in the decades-long rivalry between the two nuclear powers. For the first time, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are being used in coordinated military operations, changing the very nature of cross-border warfare in South Asia.
A historic and dangerous new chapter has unfolded in South Asia, as the world witnesses what may be the first India-Pakistan drone war between two nuclear-armed neighbors—India and Pakistan.
On Thursday, India accused Pakistan of launching a barrage of drones and missiles targeting three military installations in Indian territory, including Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan swiftly denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, Pakistan claimed it had shot down 25 Indian drones within a few hours. India, notably, has remained silent on the matter. Experts warn that this tit-for-tat exchange signals a dangerous escalation in the decades-old rivalry—one that now includes unmanned weapons alongside traditional artillery across a volatile border.
As global powers, including Washington, urge restraint, tensions teeter on the edge. Drones—silent, remote, and often deniable—are rewriting the rules of engagement in the India-Pakistan drone war.
“The India-Pakistan struggle has entered a new drone era,” said Professor Maticek, a defense analyst. “An era where ‘invisible eyes’ and unmanned precision may determine whether the outcome is escalation or restraint.”
Since Wednesday morning, Pakistan has reported that 36 people were killed and 57 injured in Indian airstrikes and cross-border shelling across Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Conversely, India has confirmed that at least 16 civilians died due to Pakistani shelling. India insists its missile strikes were in retaliation for last month’s deadly terrorist attack on Indian tourists in Pahalgam—an attack Islamabad denies any involvement in.
On Thursday, Pakistan’s military announced it had downed 25 Indian drones across cities including Karachi, Lahore, and Rawalpindi. These drones—believed to be Israeli-made Harop drones—were reportedly intercepted using a combination of technical and weapons-based countermeasures.
India, in turn, claimed to have neutralized several Pakistani air defense radars and systems, including one in Lahore—another assertion Islamabad denies.
India-Pakistan Drone War: The New Face of Warfare
Laser-guided missiles, drones, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become central to modern warfare, offering unparalleled precision and operational efficiency. These drones can relay coordinates for airstrikes or directly engage targets if equipped for combat.
Drones can also be deployed to provoke or suppress enemy air defenses by flying into contested airspace, triggering radar emissions that can then be targeted by loitering munitions or anti-radiation missiles. “Both Ukraine and Russia use this tactic in their ongoing war,” Maticek noted. “It’s a force multiplier—enabling strikes on enemy defenses without risking manned aircraft.”
India’s drone fleet primarily consists of Israeli-made reconnaissance UAVs like the IAI Searcher and Heron, alongside loitering munitions like Harpy and Harop—drones capable of autonomous surveillance and high-precision strikes. The Harop, in particular, reflects a shift toward high-value, precision-targeted combat that’s become increasingly common in modern warfare.
The Heron, experts say, serves as India’s high-altitude surveillance asset, used in both peacetime monitoring and wartime operations. The IAI Searcher Mk II is designed for frontline operations, boasting endurance up to 18 hours, a range of 300 km (186 miles), and an operating ceiling of 7,000 meters (23,000 feet).
Though India’s armed drone inventory is still considered modest, a recent $4 billion deal to acquire 31 MQ-9B Predator drones from the U.S.—capable of flying 40 hours at altitudes up to 40,000 feet—marks a major upgrade in its strike capabilities.
India is also developing “swarm drone” strategies—deploying large numbers of smaller UAVs to overwhelm enemy air defenses and enable high-value targets to breach enemy lines.
Pakistan’s Expanding Drone Fleet in the India-Pakistan Drone war
According to Lahore-based defense analyst Ejaz Haider, Pakistan’s drone fleet is “broad and diverse,” comprising both imported and domestically produced systems. The country’s arsenal reportedly includes over a thousand drones sourced from China, Turkey, and local manufacturers.
Key platforms include the Chinese CH-4, Turkey’s Bayraktar Akinci, and Pakistan’s own Burraq and Shahpar drones. Pakistan has also developed loitering munitions to strengthen its strike capabilities. Haider noted that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has been integrating UAVs into its operations for nearly a decade, with a strategic focus on developing “loyal wingman” drones—UAVs designed to operate alongside manned fighter jets.
Professor Maticek observed, “Israel’s technological support and supply of Harop and Heron drones have been crucial for India, while Pakistan’s reliance on Turkish and Chinese platforms underscores the ongoing arms race.”
Is the India-Pakistan War a Controlled Escalation or Prelude to War?
While the recent drone exchange represents a major escalation in the India-Pakistan rivalry, experts emphasize that it still differs significantly from the drone-centric warfare seen in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. There, drones play a central role in military operations, with both sides deploying thousands of UAVs for surveillance, targeting, and direct attacks.
“In this current conflict, the use of drones instead of manned aircraft or heavy missiles is a low-intensity military option,” said Haider. “Drones carry less firepower compared to manned aircraft, so this could be seen as a restrained move.”
He added that the recent drone activity in Jammu appears to be a tactical response to a specific provocation, rather than a full-scale retaliation.
“A real counterattack against India would involve shock and awe. It would likely be broader, involving multiple platforms—both manned and unmanned—and a wide range of targets,” Haider explained. “Such an operation would aim for decisive impact, signaling a significant escalation beyond the current tit-for-tat exchange.”
Experts agree that while drones have revolutionized the battlefield in Ukraine, their role in the India-Pakistan drone war remains more symbolic and limited, for now. Both nations continue to rely on their manned air forces to launch missile strikes against each other.
“This drone war might not last long,” says defense strategist Joshi. “It could either mark the beginning of a larger conflict, or a path to de-escalation. Both outcomes are on the table. We are at a critical juncture, and the path forward remains uncertain.”
India’s drone integration highlights a growing shift toward stand-off targeting without crossing borders with manned aircraft. However, this evolution also raises pressing questions.
“Drones lower the threshold for both political and operational action, offering surveillance and strike options while attempting to reduce the risk of escalation,” Professor Maticek noted. “But they also create new escalation dynamics—every downed drone, every blinded radar becomes a potential flashpoint between two nuclear powers.”
