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Suspected involvement of Turkish defence personnel in Pakistan's large-scale drone attacks on India raises security and diplomatic concerns.
New Delhi: Amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan following the Indian Armed Forces successful Operation Sindoor, Indian defence and security establishments are closely examining a significant and potentially alarming development — the suspected involvement of Turkish defence personnel in large-scale drone offensive launched by Pakistan between May 7 and May 10.
According to highly placed sources in the security apparatus, over 1,000 drones were used by Pakistan, in a series of night-long drone swarm attacks aimed at breaching Indian airspace and targeting military as well as civilian installations across northern and western India. While India’s robust air defence systems successfully thwarted Islamabad’s offensive, what has raised significant alarm is the deployment of over 350 Turkish-origin unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi confirmed that on May 8 alone, around 300–400 drones were involved in attempting to infiltrate Indian air space, likely to test India’s air-defence capabilities and gather reconnaissance data. In its preliminary examination, the Indian agencies found them to be Asisguard-made Songar drones meant for dual operation capabilities both autonomous and manual flight modes.
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Songar drones have advanced autonomous capabilities, including route planning, flight execution, and return-to-base protocols. They are also equipped with safety mechanisms that automatically initiate a return in critical situations such as low battery or loss of communication link. That night, the Pakistan military targeted 36 locations across India. However, most of these incursions were intercepted mid-air, showcasing the robustness of India’s layered air defence operational capabilities.
On May 9, Pakistan employed a similar number of drones, including Turkish-made kamikaze UAVs, and attacked 26 locations, including military establishments in Pathankot and Udhampur. These drones were successfully neutralized by India’s air defence arsenal, which included systems like the Pichora, L-70s, Zu-23s, Israeli Spyder SAMs (with a 10-km engagement range), and legacy platforms such as the Osa-AK, Tunguska, Igla-S, and Strela-mounted launchers.
Fragments of Byker YIHA-III kamikaze drones were also recovered from areas including Jammu, Naushera, and Amritsar in Punjab.
Commonly referred to as loitering munitions, kamikaze drones hover over a designated area before identifying a target and crashing into it, effectively turning themselves into guided missiles. The YIHA-III drones can be launched via catapult or from conventional runways using landing gear. Engineered for swarm tactics, these drones are capable of executing synchronized group attacks, making them a formidable threat to static and mobile targets alike.
Suspected Turkish Military Involvement
Security agencies are now conducting a detailed ground-level investigation into the deployment of these Turkish-origin drones during the recent conflict between the two neighbouring countries. Intelligence agencies are also probing the possible involvement of Turkish defence personnel in operating and managing the swarm drone attacks targeting Indian military bases and civilian infrastructure—stretching from Leh in Ladakh to Bhuj in Gujarat.
Intelligence inputs point to a 'strong possibility' that Turkish military advisors and personnel have been embedded within the Pakistan military for some time, providing training and tactical guidance on drone operations. According to highly-placed sources, the direct involvement of Turkish operators in violating Indian airspace and coordinating attacks on Indian cities 'cannot be ruled out'. There is also a possibility that Turkish personnel directly involved in operations may have suffered casualties during India's counter-attack. A detailed investigation is expected to reveal the full extent of Turkish support and operational participation.
Diplomatic Ripples and High-Level Reactions
India has so far held back from issuing any official statement directly implicating Turkey in the recent drone incursions. However, diplomatic circles are abuzz following a meeting between Turkish Ambassador Irfan Neziroglu and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad on Monday.
According to observers monitoring the situation, the Turkish envoy appeared visibly uneasy during the interaction, while PM Sharif’s body language suggested discomfort — interpreted by analysts as a possible reflection of the sensitive and potentially compromising nature of Turkey’s alleged involvement in the drone operations against India.
If confirmed, Turkish participation in the cross-border attacks would mark a serious escalation, not only in terms of India-Pakistan hostilities but also in terms of internationalizing the conflict. Analysts warn this could trigger diplomatic fallout with Ankara and calls for punitive action on the international stage.
