SOURCE: AFI
New Delhi, India – In a stunning display of technological prowess and tactical precision, India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, successfully targeted nine terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) using advanced loitering munitions, including the Bengaluru-manufactured SkyStriker suicide drones and the DRDO-developed Low-Cost Miniature Swarm Drone or Loitering Munition System (LMS). The operation, a retaliation for the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, saw Indian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) evade Pakistan’s air defence systems, delivering clear live video feeds of all nine strikes while maintaining two-way communications, according to sources familiar with the operation.
The Indian Armed Forces deployed SkyStriker suicide drones, produced through a joint venture between Bengaluru-based Alpha Design and Israel’s Elbit Security Systems. Procured by the Indian Army in 2021 following the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, these loitering munitions boast a 100 km range and carry a 5-10 kg warhead, enabling high-precision strikes on designated targets. The SkyStriker, described by Elbit as a cost-effective unmanned aerial system (UAS) that “flies like a drone and strikes like a missile,” was instrumental in silently targeting terror infrastructure, including camps operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Complementing the SkyStriker was the indigenously developed LMS drone, officially termed the Low-Cost Miniature Swarm Drone or Loitering Munition System. Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with private firms like NewSpace Research and Technologies, the LMS is designed to loiter in the skies for extended periods, tracking potential targets with high-resolution cameras, thermal imaging sensors, and GPS-guided navigation. Once a target is identified, the drone dives into it, detonating its explosive payload on impact. During Operation Sindoor, LMS drones, often deployed in swarms, reportedly overwhelmed Pakistani air defences by attacking from multiple directions, striking high-value targets such as terrorist bunkers, weapons caches, and command centers with pinpoint accuracy.
A key highlight of the operation was India’s ability to track all its UAVs in real-time, securing clear live video footage of each of the nine strikes. Indian forces maintained two-way communications with the drones, allowing for precise target acquisition and strike coordination. This capability underscored the technological edge of India’s loitering munitions, which operated autonomously or under remote control to minimize collateral damage. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, briefing the media, showcased video evidence of the destroyed terror sites, countering disinformation campaigns from pro-Pakistan sources that falsely claimed Indian losses,“The operation was executed with restraint, targeting only terror infrastructure and avoiding military installations,” she said, emphasizing the precision of the strikes.
Pakistan’s air defence systems, including advanced Chinese-made HQ-9 systems, failed to intercept the Indian drones, likely due to the operation’s surprise element, low-altitude tactics, and the drones’ small radar signatures. Posts on X speculated that readiness gaps or the overwhelming swarm tactics of the LMS drones played a role, though no official Pakistani statement has confirmed these failures. The Indian Ministry of Defence reported that the 25-minute operation, conducted under cover of darkness, destroyed nine targets, including sites in Muridke and Bahawalpur, strongholds of LeT and JeM, respectively, with no civilian casualties reported by Indian sources.
The use of SkyStriker and LMS drones in Operation Sindoor marks a significant evolution in India’s counter-terrorism strategy, blending indigenous and collaborative technologies for a “focused, measured, and non-escalatory” approach. The SkyStriker’s production in Bengaluru, supported by technology transfers from Elbit, highlights India’s growing defence manufacturing capabilities, while the LMS drone’s development by DRDO and private partners like NewSpace underscores the cost-effectiveness of kamikaze drones compared to conventional missiles.
Pakistani eyewitnesses in Muridke described the strikes, with one local telling India Today, “Four drones came and attacked a mosque. Everything got destroyed.” Pakistan’s military has claimed 26 deaths and 46 injuries, labeling the strikes an “act of war” and vowing retribution, though no evidence of civilian casualties has been independently verified. The operation has led to heightened tensions, with Pakistan shutting down airspace over Lahore and Islamabad and northern Indian airports like Amritsar and Delhi facing disruptions.
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