A Silent War: Drones Open a Dangerous New Chapter Between India and Pakistan
Atakan Mert ÖZTÜRK tarafındanA war is unfolding — quiet, faceless, but deadly. For the first time in history, India and Pakistan are locked in a battle not of soldiers, but of machines in the sky.
On Thursday, India accused Pakistan of launching waves of drones and missiles on three military bases — one of them in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan denied the charges but claimed it had shot down 25 Indian drones. What’s clear is that a new kind of warfare is underway, where invisible weapons cross borders and deadly strikes leave no pilots behind.
The toll is growing. Pakistan says Indian airstrikes have killed 36 people, while India reports at least 16 civilian deaths from Pakistani shelling. On both sides, families are grieving — and both governments are bracing for what might come next.
Experts say we are witnessing the dawn of drone warfare in South Asia. These unmanned aircraft don’t just spy — they guide missiles, blind enemy radars, and in some cases, strike with terrifying precision. Like shadows in the sky, they shape the battlefield without stepping on it.
India’s drone fleet includes Israeli-made loitering munitions like the Harop — drones that don’t just scout but explode on impact. Pakistan, meanwhile, deploys a mix of Chinese, Turkish, and locally-made systems, including the CH-4 and Bayraktar Akinci. Both nations are investing heavily — not just in weapons, but in the future of war itself.
But this "remote" war isn’t without human cost. The dead include civilians. The fear is real in the border villages, where drones buzz overhead and missiles strike without warning.
Defense analysts warn that while drone attacks may seem "measured," they can quickly spiral. One miscalculation, one misunderstanding, could ignite a far wider conflict between two nuclear-armed nations.
“This may just be the beginning,” one Indian analyst said. “Or it may be the warning shot before something bigger. No one knows yet — but we’re at a tipping point.”
And so, as drones crisscross the skies above South Asia, the world watches — not just to see who controls the air, but who can keep their finger off the trigger.
Atakan Mert ÖZTÜRK
