The May 2025 Indo-Pak escalation, triggered by the Pahalgam incident, has reached a ceasefire. During this escalation, India launched Operation Sindoor, a series of precision missile strikes and drone attacks on May 7. Pakistan retaliated with Operation Bunyan Marsoos, deploying aircraft and missile strikes on Indian military installations, marking the first drone and missile exchange between two nuclear-armed states in the recent decade. 

Drones, Missiles, and Aircraft of India and Pakistan 

The 2025 Indo-Pak conflict is distinguished by the extensive use of advanced missile and drone technologies, reflecting a new phase in India-Pakistan hostilities. Some of the prominent aircraft, missile and drone technologies that both nuclear neighbours hold are:

Missile Systems of Pakistan and India 

Pakistan’s Missiles Fateh-1 Missile

  • Type: Guided artillery rocket (conventional)
  • Range: Approximately 120 to 140 kilometers
  • Warhead: High-explosive fragmentation
  • Accuracy: 10 meters or better circular error probable (CEP), which is high precision.
  • Guidance System: Inertial plus satellite guidance combined with terminal guidance to tweak trajectory during the concluding flight stage.
  • Launch Platform: This is a mobile truck-mounted launcher that offers quick deployment and versatility.

Fatah-II Guided Artillery Rocket

  • Range: 250 to 400 km
  • Features: Precision-guided with terminal guidance and satellite navigation, flat trajectory, maneuverable mid-course corrections, launched from mobile platforms
  • Warhead: Conventional or tactical nuclear payloads (365 kg warhead)
  • Accuracy: Circular Error Probable (CEP) less than 10 meters
  • Role: Strikes deep targets such as military bases, radar, logistics, and communication facilities

India’s Missiles 

BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile

  • Range: 290 to 450 km
  • Speed: Up to Mach 3
  • Role: Versatile strikes on land, sea, and air targets

S-400 Air Defense System

  • Interception Range: Up to 400 km
  • Capabilities: Multi-layered defense against aircraft, drones, and ballistic missiles

Pakistan’s Aircraft 

Chengdu J-10C Fighter Jets

  • It is reported by independent media that Pakistan deployed Chinese-made Chengdu J-10C multi-role fighter jets during the conflict. However, there is no official confirmation by any party. 
  • The J-10C is equipped with advanced avionics and can carry China’s PL-15 long-range active radar homing air-to-air missiles, which are considered highly capable and were reportedly used in combat against Indian jets. 

JF-17 Thunder 

  • Fourth-generation, lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft
  • Payload Capacity: 12.4 kg
  • Single-engine aircraft 
  • Height 4.72m,  width 9.48 m
  • Speed of Mach 1.6 (1,960.1 km/h) (1,058 knots)

India’s Aircraft 

Dassault Rafale Fighter Jets:

  • 4.5 generation multi-role fighter equipped with advanced avionics
  • Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) from the MBDA consortium
  • Versatile strike capabilities. 
  • Height 5.34 m and a wingspan of 10.80 m
  • Payload capacity of 24.5 kg
  • Range of 1,850 km (999 nautical miles)
  • Speed of Mach 1.8 (1,915 km/h) (1,034 knots)

Drone Warfare

Pakistan’s Drones:

Pakistan claimed to have intercepted Indian drones during the conflict and successfully defended key military sites from drone and missile attacks. Pakistan has Turkish origin Bayraktar Akıncı, Bayraktar TB2, and Chinese origin CH-4. 

India’s Drones:

India extensively used Israeli-origin drones, notably the IAI Harop loitering munitions, which are suicide drones designed to strike high-value targets. It also has some other advanced drones, including Harpy and MQ-9 Reaper. 

The 2025 India-Pakistan conflict was intense and technologically advanced, involving precision missile strikes and drone attacks. This conflict highlights the evolving nature of warfare in South Asia, where advanced missile systems like Pakistan’s Fatah-II and India’s BrahMos, alongside cutting-edge drone technologies, played an increasingly central role. The ceasefire highlights the urgent need for sustained diplomatic engagement to prevent future escalations between two nuclear-armed neighbors.