Turkish-manufactured drones are significantly contributing to Pakistan’s extensive military escalation along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border, as reported by Indian officials during a special press briefing regarding Operation Sindoor. It is estimated that between 300 and 400 drones, provided by Turkey, have been deployed by Pakistan to strike both military and civilian targets across 36 locations, ranging from Leh in Ladakh to Sir Creek in Gujarat. The Indian government claims that these drones breached Indian airspace during the night of May 8 and 9, likely to assess Indian air defense systems and collect intelligence. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stated, ‘These provocative and escalatory actions taken by Pakistan last night were aimed at Indian cities, civilian infrastructure, and certain military objectives.’ Forensic teams are currently analyzing the wreckage of the drones, with initial findings suggesting that the drones involved were Turkish-made Asis Guard Songar systems. Turkey has not condemned the recent terrorist attack on civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, nor has it distanced itself from Pakistan’s actions. Following India’s retaliatory precision strikes under Operation Sindoor, which targeted terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Turkey emerged as the only nation to openly support Islamabad, as reported by NDTV and ANI. A statement from the Turkish presidency indicated that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan communicated with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, extending condolences and referring to those killed in the Indian strikes as ‘martyrs.’ Erdoğan expressed his prayers for divine mercy for those who lost their lives in the attacks, reaffirming Turkey’s solidarity with Pakistan. Beyond the drones implicated in the recent cross-border violations, Turkey has increasingly become a defense supplier to Pakistan, with official purchases of Turkish arms and ammunition amounting to $5.16 million last year alone.
