India and Pakistan’s tensions continue to escalate as tensions return, but this time they appear to have an added element: drones. Both nations have reported numerous sightings, violations and attempted attacks near the volatile Line of Control (LoC) raising concerns that long-standing conflict has entered a new, high-tech phase.
India has accused Pakistan-based groups of sending surveillance and payload-carrying drones across its border into Jammu and Kashmir, according to Indian defense sources. Over the past month, several drones were intercepted or shot down; some carrying weapons or surveillance equipment.
Pakistan, on the other hand, has claimed that Indian drones have violated its airspace in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and committed an “illegal breach of sovereignty.” Their military claims it has successfully downed multiple Indian drones before warning any further aggression will be met with “a calibrated response.”
While drones were previously employed for surveillance, analysts now warn of their increasing usage for warfare purposes; analysts warn of the risk posed by low-intensity drone warfare models which can pose great danger in such volatile regions.
Dr. Rehan Malik, a regional security analyst based in Islamabad said drones offer both countries plausible deniability and low-cost surveillance capabilities; but their inherent risk includes misidentification, accidental escalation or the temptation to employ drones in increasingly aggressive ways.
As drone-related incidents increase, both governments have implemented stronger air defense protocols. India has deployed anti-drone systems near key border areas while Pakistan reportedly invests in drone-jamming and radar technologies.
International observers are taking notice, with U.S. and European officials privately raising concerns that drone warfare could lower the threshold for conflict by blurring surveillance with attack, leading to unintended consequences and creating new battle lines between nations. “Drone usage increases the chance of unintended consequences,” according to one NATO official.
Complicating matters further are non-state actors (especially militant groups ) believed to be using drones for weapons smuggling across borders, further complicating efforts at maintaining peace.
As India and Pakistan exchange accusations and tighten border defenses, experts warn that without diplomatic efforts being prioritised, drones may become the preferred weapon in a hidden conflict neither side is willing to acknowledge fully–one that could escalate out of control.