The debut of attack drones in India-Pakistan military conflict reflects a broader shift in modern warfare methods, military veterans and security experts said, urging New Delhi to invest more in military technology to meet evolving demands.
The effectiveness of unmanned systems in real-time combat has already been underlined by the Russia-Ukraine war and Iran’s recent fusillade of drone attacks on Israel.
“But this (India-Pakistan) conflict marked the first drone warfare between recognised nuclear-armed states,” Captain Shashank, a former Indian Army officer, said.
He said unmanned systems were poised to dominate future battlefields.
“A big lesson for us from this pseudo-war remains: Adopt advanced technologies for modern warfare, especially drones and beyond-visual-range capabilities,” he said.
“(This conflict) highlights a shift towards long-range, technology-driven engagements, where stealth, electronic warfare and advanced avionics are critical.”
On May 9-10 night, Pakistan let loose 300 to 400 drones targeting 26 Indian locations from Leh to Sir Creek. India shot down most of them.
Sources said India did not use as many drones as Pakistan, relying mainly on air-to-surface missiles to hit terror camps and military installations in Pakistan.
Retired Lieutenant General H.S. Panag agreed that the Indian military needed to invest big money to bolster its technological capabilities, with armies set to rely more and more on attack drones for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance andprecision strikes.
“Our defence preparedness needs a complete transformation. It has to start with higher budgetary allocations to improve our air defence systems and electronic warfare capabilities,” he said.
Panag said the waves of drones unleashed by Pakistan was part of psychological warfare, intended to sow panic and uncertainty among citizens.
Shashank said that while India had made significant progress since 2019 with the induction of Rafale jets and the S-400 air defence system, major gaps remained.
“We must prioritise the indigenous development of a robust military-industrial complex to reduce our dependence on imports,” he said.
“This includes AI-driven warfare, cyber capabilities, and drone tech to counter the evolving threats while maintaining strategic autonomy.”
Sources in the security establishment said the drones used by Pakistan included Turkish-origin Songar drones and Chinese-manufactured Byker YIH and Kamikaze UAVs. Pakistan used loitering munitions, armed drones, and coordinated incursions across both the International Border and the Line of Control.
“Some of these were aimed at civilian areas like Amritsar. An initial analysis indicates that several drones carried explosive payloads, intended to inflict the maximum damage on innocent civilians,” a security official attached to the Union homeministry said.
But India’s S-400 and Akash missile systems intercepted most of the Pakistani drones.
India used the Israeli Harop drones to attack Pakistani military sites. These drones can loiter in the air close to the designated target and attack it by self-destructing into it when directed.
Drones used in warfare can operate in air, on land, at sea level, or underwater. They may be operated manually or through autopilot systems during missions.
“It appears that Pakistan used AI drones that can navigate on their own, detect targets, and even operate in swarm groups,” a security official said.
Ukraine has been using drones such as the DJI Matrice 300 AI to find and lock onto threats independent of human assistance.