Drones Intercepted Across India, Explosions Reported in Pokhran Amid India-Pakistan Tensions
By [Your Name], International Correspondent, May 9, 2025
New Delhi, India – India’s air defense systems intercepted multiple Pakistani drones across northern and western states, including Rajasthan’s Pokhran, on the night of May 8–9, 2025, as escalating tensions with Pakistan reached a critical point. Explosions and sirens were reported in Pokhran, Jaisalmer, Jammu, and other border areas, with blackouts enforced in multiple districts to counter the threat. The incidents, part of a broader wave of cross-border drone and missile attacks, follow India’s Operation Sindoor strikes on May 7 targeting terrorist sites in Pakistan, prompting fierce retaliation and raising fears of a wider conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Drone Interceptions and Pokhran Explosions
On May 8, Pakistan launched what Indian officials described as 300–400 Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones targeting military and civilian sites across India, from Leh in Ladakh to Sir Creek in Gujarat. The Indian Army’s Integrated Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) Grid and S-400 air defense systems neutralized over 50 drones in areas including Udhampur, Samba, Jammu, Akhnoor, Nagrota, Pathankot, and Jaisalmer, using L-70 guns, Zu-23mm, Schilka systems, and advanced counter-UAS equipment.
In Pokhran, a key military testing site in Rajasthan, residents reported hearing explosions and seeing flashes of light in the sky, likely from drones being shot down by air defenses. Social media posts on X captured the chaos, with @Journoruchit sharing visuals from Pokhran residents showing drones being intercepted, and @PriyanshiBharg7 noting siren sounds accompanying the blasts. A senior official confirmed to The Times of India that explosions persisted for nearly an hour in Pokhran, with no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Jaisalmer, another Rajasthan border city, also faced drone attacks, with Indian air defenses intercepting threats around 4:30–5:30 a.m. on May 9. Bhaskar English reported that the Indian Army foiled the assault, with debris under forensic analysis to determine the drones’ origins. A red alert was issued in Barmer and Sri Ganganagar, urging residents to stay indoors, while blackouts were enforced across Rajasthan’s border districts.
Broader Wave of Attacks
The Pokhran and Jaisalmer incidents were part of a larger Pakistani offensive. In Jammu, eight Pakistani missiles targeting Satwari, Samba, Ranbir Singh Pura, and Arnia were intercepted, with one drone striking Jammu Civil Airport and two others shot down near Jammu University. Pathankot’s airbase in Punjab came under attack, with unconfirmed reports of India downing a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet and possibly two JF-17 jets. Jalandhar reported low-flying drones near an Army depot, neutralized by 11:20 p.m. on May 8.
Pakistan’s military claimed it shot down 29 Indian drones, including Israeli-made Harop models, over cities like Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi, with one civilian killed and four soldiers wounded. India, in turn, said it neutralized a Pakistani air defense system in Lahore using Harpy kamikaze drones, a claim Islamabad denied. The tit-for-tat drone strikes, described by BBC as the “first drone war between nuclear-armed neighbors,” mark a new phase in the rivalry, leveraging cost-effective UAVs over traditional fighter jets.
Context: Operation Sindoor and Retaliation
The drone attacks followed India’s Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians. The operation targeted nine terrorist sites linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba in Pakistan and PoK, reportedly killing 100 terrorists. Pakistan’s retaliation included drone and missile strikes on May 7–8, targeting 36 locations in Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, all thwarted by India’s defenses.
Indian officials, including Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, described Pakistan’s drone swarm as an attempt to test India’s air defenses and gather intelligence, with commercial airspace used as cover. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called Pakistan’s actions an escalation, warning that further moves would be met with force. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, however, claimed “strategic restraint,” denying attacks in Indian Punjab and accusing India of inciting anti-Pakistan sentiment.
Impact and Response
The attacks prompted widespread disruptions. Twenty-four airports, including Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Jodhpur, remain closed until May 15, with IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet canceling hundreds of flights. Blackouts were enforced in Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and parts of Haryana, with sirens and evacuations reported. The IPL match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala was halted after 10.1 overs due to security concerns. Schools, colleges, and courts in Punjab, Chandigarh, and Haryana closed for days, and government employee leaves were canceled in Delhi, Punjab, and Rajasthan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting on May 8, reaffirming India’s commitment to national security. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met with military chiefs to review the situation, while Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Jammu to assess the ground reality. The U.S., China, Russia, and others urged de-escalation, with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio pressing Pakistan to end support for terrorism.
Public Sentiment and Ongoing Concerns
On X, posts reflected alarm and nationalism. @DubeBhanu claimed a Pakistani jet was downed in Pokhran with the pilot captured, though this remains unconfirmed. @JPSS1896 celebrated India’s S-400 system neutralizing drones and an F-16 in Jaisalmer, while @IndiaToday reported Abdullah’s comments on blasts during shelling. However, such claims require caution, as X posts often contain unverified information.
The Pokhran explosions and drone interceptions underscore the precarious state of India-Pakistan relations. With 16 Indian civilians and 31 Pakistani civilians reported killed in the exchanges, villages along the LoC have emptied as residents flee or shelter in bunkers. As both nations trade accusations, the risk of further escalation looms, with drone warfare adding a volatile dimension to an already tense conflict.
Sources: Reuters, India Today, Al Jazeera, The Washington Post, Hindustan Times, Bhaskar English, ANSA, X posts from @IndiaToday, @Journoruchit, @FrustIndian, @PriyanshiBharg7, @DubeBhanu, @JPSS1896, @ArvindBajpayee5