Pakistani Military Drone Shot Down by IAF Sukhoi-30 Jet in Bikaner Sector Near Indo-Pak Border

A fighter jet of the Indian Air Force on Monday shot down a Pakistani military drone in Bikaner sector of the Indo-Pak border using an air-to-air missile, government sources said.

The Pakistani military drone was detected by a ground-based radar station was targeted at around 11:30 AM and shoot down by one of the Sukhoi-30 jets deployed in the area to keep an eye in Bikaner-Nal sector in Rajasthan, the sources said.

A Pakistani drone was earlier shot down by India the Kutch region of Gujarat by an Israeli-designed SPYDER surface-to-air missile system on February 27 along the Indo-Pak border in Kutch in Gujarat making this the second unsuccessful attempt by Pakistan to send a spy drone inside India in the last six days.

Drones are often used at border areas by the armed forces of both India and Pakistan to spy on each other as they are lightweight, easy to operate and relatively inexpensive.

Tensions between the two countries have been escalating after a terror attack in Pulwama led to India responding with an air strike inside Pakistan.

In India’s air strike, a MiG-21 Bison of the IAF piloted by Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet before his MiG-21 fell to enemy fire. He was captured by Pakistani forces and released nearly 60 hours later via the Attari-Wagah border.

India has called on the international community to put pressure on Pakistan to stop giving shelter to terrorist groups on its soil. Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has said India must give proof of terror groups operating from his country, despite India giving dossiers after dossiers to Pakistan linking terrorists with the neighbouring country.