Two Turkish military operatives were killed during Operation Sindoor, shedding light on Turkey’s direct involvement in supporting Pakistan in its recent conflict with India. According to sources, Turkey not only provided Pakistan with over 350 drones but also deployed personnel to operate them during the four-day hostilities.
Sources further revealed that Turkish military advisors assisted Pakistani Army officials in coordinating drone strikes against Indian targets after the initiation of Operation Sindoor.
Pakistan is reported to have deployed Bayraktar TB2 and YIHA drones — both of Turkish origin — during the offensive. These drones were allegedly used for designating targets and may have been intended for kamikaze-style attacks, particularly to disrupt Indian forward positions and logistical convoys.
India believes this assistance forms part of an increasingly deep strategic military partnership between Ankara and Islamabad. In recent years, Turkey has not only supplied critical defence hardware to Pakistan but has also provided training to its military forces.
Rise in defence ties raises alarm
The growing defence collaboration between Turkey and Pakistan has raised concerns in India. Turkey’s support during the conflict has drawn criticism from Indian analysts and politicians, prompting renewed calls for an economic and diplomatic boycott of Ankara. The "Boycott Turkey" movement gained fresh momentum as evidence mounted of Turkish involvement in operations against Indian forces.
Experts point out that India's post-Covid export surge to Turkey may have inadvertently aided Ankara's defence manufacturing capabilities. Key Indian exports — such as aluminium, auto components, aircraft parts, telecom equipment, and electrical machinery — are seen as contributing to Turkey’s expanding drone production sector.
Also Read: Did nuclear radiation fears prompt US mediated India-Pak truce?
Massive drone offensive
On the nights of May 7 and 8, Pakistan launched an extensive drone offensive using approximately 300–400 drones to target Indian military installations along both the northern and western borders.
Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, addressing a press briefing on Operation Sindoor, stated that forensic examination of downed drone wreckage suggested many were Turkish Asisguard Songar drones.
"The Indian armed forces neutralised a significant number of these drones using both kinetic and non-kinetic means," she said. "The scale and nature of these aerial intrusions appear to have been designed to test our air defence capabilities and gather operational intelligence."
Also read: PM chairing CCS meet, first since pause in India-Pak hostilities
India responds with digital retaliation
As part of its response to Ankara’s involvement, India on Wednesday blocked the X (formerly Twitter) account of Turkish state broadcaster TRT. The ban followed Turkey’s military support to Pakistan during the conflict and its use of drones to strike Indian military positions in 36 locations, spanning from Leh in the north to Sir Creek in the south.
Earlier in the day, India also blocked the social media accounts of Chinese state-run media outlets — Xinhua and Global Times — on the same platform. These accounts were accused of spreading misinformation and amplifying Pakistani propaganda, despite repeated warnings issued by the Indian Embassy in Beijing.
The Indian government continues to assess the broader implications of foreign interference in its security affairs, as Operation Sindoor exposes an evolving axis of defence cooperation between Turkey and Pakistan — one that New Delhi now views as a significant strategic threat.
Also Read: CDS, military chiefs brief President on Operation Sindoor
Follow us
