The flare-up between India and Pakistan in May, featuring large-scale deployment of drones by both nations has ignited a new drone arms race, despite decades of conventional military rivalry.
According to sources, both the countries are in a race to ramp up the production of drones. India's typically slow military procurement has accelerated, with drone manufacturers now undergoing rapid demonstrations and trials. This increased spending will prioritize both surveillance and combat drones, according to Indian defense officials.
Pakistan is also rapidly expanding its drone capabilities, driven by a desire to avoid deploying expensive fighter jets like India's Rafales. With fewer advanced combat aircraft (around 20 Chinese J-10s), drones offer a cost-effective alternative. Pakistan is heavily leveraging partnerships with Turkey and China to boost domestic drone production. For instance, at Islamabad's National Aerospace Science and Technology Park, Turkish defense firm Baykar is assembling YIHA-III drones locally, sometimes in just two to three days, as noted by defense expert Oishee Majumdar of Janes.
Many Pakistani drones were intercepted by India's air-defense systems. These systems utilized modern sensors and radar, effectively integrating them with vintage, state-owned anti-aircraft guns from the Cold War era. Despite their age, these retrofitted weapons reportedly performed surprisingly well against modern UAVs. While Pakistan disputes significant drone losses, India maintains it sustained minimal damage. In response, India launched its own offensive drone operations, deploying Israeli HAROPs, Polish WARMATEs, and indigenous UAVs to strike targets across the border. These missions reportedly targeted both military and militant infrastructure.