On May 8, 2025, Pakistan’s air defense system intercepted and shot down an Indian surveillance drone near the Waltan Naval Air Base in Lahore, an event that significantly escalated already high tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
According to Pakistani military sources, the drone was flying in a sensitive airspace just 25 kilometers from the Indian border. Two additional drones were reportedly detected and neutralized in different parts of Punjab province, though India has yet to officially comment on the incidents.
This confrontation came just a day after India launched airstrikes on alleged terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistani territory in retaliation for a terrorist attack in Kashmir on April 22, which killed 26 people, primarily Indian tourists. Pakistan claimed that 31 civilians were killed in those Indian strikes.
International observers are concerned about the rapid deterioration of diplomatic channels and the potential for military escalation. While drone incursions have occurred in the past, this incident—near a naval installation—raises the stakes considerably.
India and Pakistan have fought several wars and skirmishes, most notably over the disputed region of Kashmir. This latest series of events threatens to unravel years of tentative peace talks and ceasefire agreements.
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