SOURCE: AFI
On May 8, 2025, as Pakistan launched an audacious offensive involving 300-400 Turkish-made SONGAR drones targeting Indian airspace from Leh to Sir Creek, a disturbing tactic came to light: the deliberate use of civilian aircraft as shields. Indian defense sources and posts on X reported that three civilian flights departing from Lahore coincided with the drone incursions, raising serious concerns about Pakistan’s reckless strategy of exploiting commercial aviation to mask its military aggression.
According to Col Sofiya Qureshi, cited in posts on X, Pakistan orchestrated the drone swarm under the cover of commercial airspace, with three civilian flights—a Saudi Airlines Airbus A330, an AirSial Airbus A320, and a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Boeing 777—departing Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport during the attack window. This timing was no coincidence. Indian defense officials assert that Pakistan deliberately synchronized the drone launches with these civilian flight departures to complicate India’s air defense response, effectively using innocent passengers as human shields.
The SONGAR drones, equipped with NATO-class 5.56x45mm machine guns and advanced sensors, were part of a large-scale operation targeting 36 Indian military installations along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border. By operating in proximity to civilian flight paths, Pakistan likely aimed to deter India from engaging the drones with surface-to-air missiles, such as those from the S-400 or SAMAR systems, due to the risk of collateral damage to civilian aircraft.
This tactic reflects what Indian officials and commentators on X have described as a “classic jihadi mindset”—hiding behind innocents while conducting aggressive operations. Posts on X condemned Pakistan’s actions, with one user stating, “Irresponsibility at its peak. Using civilian flights as shields while lobbing PL-15s and drones is a new low, even for Pakistan.”
Despite Pakistan’s dangerous gambit, the Indian Armed Forces demonstrated remarkable restraint and precision in countering the drone threat. The Integrated Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grid, bolstered by the S-400 air defense system and the battle-proven SAMAR platform, neutralized the majority of the 300-400 drones using a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic measures. Indian air defense units, deployed across key sectors like Jammu, Udhampur, Pathankot, and Sir Creek, employed L-70 guns, Zu-23mm cannons, and advanced counter-UAS technologies to down over 50 drones without endangering civilian aircraft.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) and civilian air traffic control maintained close coordination to ensure the safety of the commercial flights operating in the region. Real-time tracking of the civilian aircraft allowed India to calibrate its response, avoiding any risk to passengers while effectively thwarting Pakistan’s drone incursion. The Ministry of Defence issued a statement confirming the neutralization of the drone threat, emphasizing that no civilian aircraft were harmed during the operation.
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