Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Pakistan launched hundreds of drones while keeping civilian airspace fully active—passenger planes flew dangerously close to active combat zones.
The tactic used commercial airliners as unintentional shields, forcing India to hesitate on intercepting drones near populated air corridors.
By mixing drones with civilian air traffic, Pakistan blurred detection, complicating India’s air defense targeting and threat assessment.
The intent was clear: delay India’s response by putting innocent passengers in the line of fire, banking on Indian restraint.
Pakistan gambled that India wouldn’t retaliate forcefully near civilian aircraft—buying time for drones to probe and penetrate deeper.
Military analysts believe the swarm attack also served as a test run, gathering data on India’s radar, interception range, and speed.
India’s air defense, despite being fully alert, refrained from firing in mixed airspace, prioritizing civilian safety over instant action.
The move risked global outrage—any misfire on a civilian plane could’ve sparked diplomatic crisis or escalated the conflict dramatically.
Representative pic
Calling the tactic "reckless and dangerous," Indian officials accused Pakistan of violating international conflict norms.