Drones are coming: India and Pakistan started fighting in a modern way
8 May 14:54
India and Pakistan have finally decided to use modern technology in the current conflict, namely drones. The two sides exchanged attacks the day before, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports citing Reuters.
Pakistan has reported the destruction of 25 Indian drones in its airspace, including the cities of Karachi, Lahore and a military facility in Rawalpindi. As a result of one of the drone attacks near Lahore, four Pakistani army soldiers were wounded. At the same time, India announced that it had “neutralized” Pakistan’s attempts to attack its military targets with drones and missiles.
The Indian Ministry of Defense confirmed that Pakistan had attempted to attack a number of military installations in northern and western India, but that these attempts were “neutralized” by air defense systems. In response, Indian forces hit radar and air defense systems in Pakistan.
The use of drones in this conflict indicates a new era in the military confrontation between India and Pakistan. The use of unmanned technologies allows for targeted strikes without risk to pilots and with fewer political consequences than traditional air strikes, but at the same time creates new risks for escalation of the conflict.
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Escalation and its consequences
The current confrontation is a new round of tensions that began two weeks ago after a terrorist attack in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 people, mostly Hindu tourists. India accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack and launched missile strikes against “terrorist infrastructure” in Pakistan. Islamabad has denied the accusations and promised to respond.
The current escalation comes at a difficult economic time for Pakistan, when the country is still recovering from a crisis that almost led to a default on its external debt obligations in 2023. Further escalation of the conflict could seriously undermine the region’s economy and pose a threat to international security.
Dozens of civilians on both sides have already become victims of the escalation. According to Pakistan, at least 31 civilians have been killed and about 50 injured in Indian strikes and shelling across the border in Kashmir. India reports 13 civilian deaths and 59 injuries.
The economic consequences of the conflict are also already being felt: trading on the Pakistani stock exchange was suspended after the index fell by 6.3%, and Indian securities, the rupee and bonds fell sharply in value. Pakistan’s aviation authorities have “temporarily suspended” flights at Lahore, Karachi and Sialkot airports.
Indian Foreign Minister Subramaniam Jaishankar said that New Delhi does not intend to escalate the situation, but if there are military attacks, “it will be met with a very, very strong response.” Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said that Pakistan is ready for de-escalation.
ANALYSIS
