SOURCE: IDRW.ORG
In a bold and confident press briefing, the Indian Army took a swipe at Pakistan’s much-touted Turkish-made drones, declaring them ineffective against India’s robust air defence systems. “You must’ve seen what we did to those overhyped Turkish drones launched by Pakistan,” quipped a senior Indian Army official, highlighting the decisive neutralization of over 500 Turkish SONGAR and Byker YIHA III kamikaze drones in the past four to five days of intense cross-border operations. The statement, laced with a touch of mockery, underscored India’s technological and operational superiority in countering Pakistan’s aerial aggression during the ongoing conflict.
The Indian Army’s Air Defence (AAD) units, backed by advanced counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS), have demonstrated remarkable efficiency in thwarting Pakistan’s drone-based offensives. According to official sources, Pakistan launched approximately 300 to 400 drones, including Turkish-made Asisguard SONGAR and Byker YIHA III kamikaze models, across 36 locations from Leh to Sir Creek on the nights of May 7-9, 2025, targeting military installations and civilian areas. These drones, armed with high-explosive payloads, were intended to strike key zones like Amritsar and Bathinda but were swiftly intercepted by India’s layered air defence grid.
“Our trained air defence operators and counter-UAS technologies have proven that no drone, no matter how advanced, can breach our airspace unchallenged,” said Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during a press conference on May 9. The Indian Armed Forces employed a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic methods, including quick-reaction air defence guns, the indigenously developed Akash missile system, and electronic warfare (EW) grids, to neutralize the threats within seconds of detection. The Akash system, often compared to Israel’s Iron Dome, was instrumental in tracking and engaging multiple targets simultaneously, ensuring no civilian casualties or property damage.
“Our trained air defence operators and counter-UAS technologies have proven that no drone, no matter how advanced, can breach our airspace unchallenged,” said Colonel Sofiya Qureshi during a press conference on May 9. The Indian Armed Forces employed a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic methods, including quick-reaction air defence guns, the indigenously developed Akash missile system, and electronic warfare (EW) grids, to neutralize the threats within seconds of detection. The Akash system, often compared to Israel’s Iron Dome, was instrumental in tracking and engaging multiple targets simultaneously, ensuring no civilian casualties or property damage.
Pakistan’s reliance on Turkish drones, particularly the SONGAR and Byker YIHA III, was meant to showcase its modern warfare capabilities. The SONGAR, a quadrotor unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) developed by Asisguard, is equipped with 5.56mm NATO-standard firearms, grenade launchers, or mini-missiles, and boasts autonomous flight and swarm tactics. The Byker YIHA III, a kamikaze-style loitering munition, is designed for precision strikes with high-explosive warheads and extended flight endurance, powered by a Chinese DLE-170 engine. Both systems have been combat-tested in conflicts like Syria and Ukraine, earning praise for their versatility and firepower.
However, the Indian Army’s press briefing painted a starkly different picture. “These so-called cutting-edge drones were no match for our battle-proven systems,” said Air Marshal AK Bharti, DG Air Operations, as he showcased debris from downed SONGAR and YIHA III drones during a joint tri-services briefing on May 13. The wreckage, displayed alongside fragments of Chinese-origin PL-15 missiles, served as a testament to India’s ability to counter foreign-supplied weaponry. Pakistani analysts have also expressed frustration over the drones’ poor performance, with reports of at least four YIHA III units crashing within Pakistan’s own territory due to malfunctions or operator errors.
In one notable incident on May 10, multiple Byker YIHA III drones were spotted over Khasa Cantonment in Amritsar at 5:00 AM, targeting densely populated residential areas. Indian AAD units engaged and destroyed the drones mid-air, with debris safely landing in open fields. Similar incidents were reported in Jammu and Kashmir’s Naushera and Rajasthan’s Barmer, where drone wreckage was recovered, further highlighting Pakistan’s failed attempts to breach Indian airspace.
Adding a layer of irony to the conflict, a viral video from Sialkot, Pakistan, captured local citizens attacking a downed Byker YIHA III drone, mistakenly believing it to be Indian. The drone, which had malfunctioned and crashed within Pakistani territory, was assaulted with sticks, stones, and even slippers, sparking a wave of humorous reactions from Indian netizens on platforms like X. “This is a comedy of errors,” one user remarked, poking fun at the lack of awareness among Pakistani locals about their own military’s equipment.
The incident, coupled with reports of multiple drone crashes within Pakistan, has fueled criticism from Pakistani defence analysts. “The Byker YIHA III is designed for precision and reliability, but these crashes suggest either systemic flaws or inadequate handling,” noted one analyst on a Pakistani defence forum. The Indian Army seized the opportunity to mock these failures, with officials emphasizing that Pakistan’s strategy of using expendable drones to saturate Indian defences had backfired spectacularly.
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