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Ceasefire After 4 Days of Combat, The Weapons Behind the India-Pakistan Showdown[/caption]
The guns have fallen silent — at least for now. After four days of intense military exchanges between India and Pakistan, both nations agreed to a ceasefire late Saturday, temporarily halting a rapid escalation that pushed the subcontinent to the edge of open war.
But just hours after the ceasefire took effect, Pakistan violated the agreement, sending drones over Jammu and Kashmir, triggering India's air defence systems once again. Explosions rang out across the valley before calm was finally restored overnight.
The brief but fierce hostilities — which included precision strikes, drone warfare, and missile exchanges — brought out sophisticated weaponry from both sides, showcasing modern tactics and technology on a tense battlefield.
What Weapons Did India Use?
India’s military response under Operation Sindoor was both swift and technologically superior. Drawing on its advanced defence arsenal, India used a combination of air power, smart munitions, and anti-drone systems. The key weapons deployed included:
- S-400 Triumf air defence system (Russian-made)
- Akash surface-to-air missiles (indigenously developed)
- Barak-8 naval and land-based air defence missiles (India-Israel)
- Anti-drone technologies for neutralizing aerial intrusions
- Rafale fighter jets, capable of deep-strike precision
- Scalp cruise missiles launched from Rafales
- Hammer smart bombs, known for high precision
- Kamikaze drones (loitering munitions with built-in targeting sensors)
These systems allowed India to neutralize both incoming threats and strike deep inside Pakistani territory with surgical accuracy.
What Weapons Did Pakistan Use?
Pakistan’s offensive leaned heavily on drone warfare and air-based missile systems, but many of its attacks were intercepted or neutralized. The primary arsenal included:
- Turkish-origin Songar armed drones, used in large-scale swarms
- JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, co-developed with China
- PL-15 air-to-air missiles, a Chinese BVR (Beyond Visual Range) system
Despite the aggressive use of drones, most were shot down by Indian air defence units, making Pakistan’s strategy largely ineffective. Its manned aircraft and missile units struggled to penetrate India’s layered defence network.
Diplomatic Breakthrough, Lingering Tensions
The ceasefire was announced first by US President Donald Trump via social media and was later confirmed by India’s foreign secretary Vikram Misri. While the agreement brought relief, especially to border residents, India remains firm on its zero-tolerance approach to terrorism.
“India has consistently maintained a firm and uncompromising stance against terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. It will continue to do so,” said External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
While the current lull may mark the end of the immediate conflict, analysts caution that the situation remains fragile. Operation Sindoor has reset deterrence equations, but as the recent drone violation shows, peace may only be temporary.