World · India Bureau
India's suicide drone ran out of fuel before Pakistan strike, says ex-CDS
Former Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauahan has clarified that an Indian unmanned aerial vehicle that struck Kiirana Hills in Pakistan was not a deliberate attack, but the result of fuel exhaustion during a surveillance operation.
LSN India ·
In a significant clarification regarding cross-border military operations, former Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauahan has explained that the Indian drone strike on Kiirana Hills in Pakistan's Sargodha region was an unintended incident rather than a calculated attack.
According to Chauahan, the unmanned aerial vehicle was conducting reconnaissance operations as part of what was referred to as Operation Sindoor, searching for radar installations near Sargodha. The drone's fuel reserves became depleted during the surveillance mission, leading to its uncontrolled descent into the Kiirana Hills area.
The former defence official stated that the subsequent impact and explosion were consequences of the drone's fuel depletion rather than a deliberate targeting decision. This explanation suggests the incident occurred during active military operations but without the intent to strike that specific location.
The clarification comes amid ongoing discussions about military operations and cross-border incidents between India and Pakistan, providing an official account of the circumstances surrounding the drone's crash and the resulting explosion in Pakistani territory.