Asia

Indian MoD Confirms Downing of Pakistani Drone Over Airspace Violation - Reports

Historically tense relations between the two nuclear-armed neigbours have further escalated after 40 Indian troops were killed in a car bomb attack claimed by a Pakistan-based terror group and culminated in late February with a dogfight between Pakistan's F-16 and India's MiG-21 jets over Kashmir.
Sputnik

According to India Express citing the Indian Defence Ministry, the country's Air Force has downed a drone launched from the Pakistani territory over an alleged airspace violation.

As reported by the media outlet, the UAV violated Indian airspace at around 19-30 local time.

This comes shortly after ANI news agency reported that a drone was shot down over the city of Bikaner.

Pakistani authorities haven't yet commented on the information yet, while the news follows an unprecedented escalation between New Delhi and Islamabad, which culminated in a dogfight over Kashmir, resulting in the downing of an Indian MiG-21, with its pilot being captured, and a Pakistani F-16 in late February. The aerial battle followed an airstrike by the Indian Air Force on a terrorist camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed group from Pakistani airspace.

READ MORE: India Reveals How its Su-30 'Defeated' F-16's Missile in Dogfight With Pakistan

Pakistan Fears Hafiz Saeed Could Spill Beans on Proxy War With India - Analyst
Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed group affiliated with al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for a car bomb attack on an Indian security forces' convoy in Kashmir in the beginning of February, which killed at least 40 troops. India blamed Pakistan for inability to take action to fight the militants, while Islamabad denied the claims and accused New Delhi of violating Pakistan's territorial integrity and sovereignty over conducting aerial operations in Pakistan's side of the Kashmir border.

However, the crisis has eased after Pakistan released the captured Indian pilot in what was described by Prime Minister Imran Khan as a "peace gesture," with Islamabad announcing the return of its ambassador to India earlier this week amid the de-escalation of tensions.

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