SRINAGAR, Jan 31, 2026 — In a major tactical victory against cross-border aerial incursions, Indian security forces successfully intercepted and downed eight Pakistani drones along the Line of Control (LoC) in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The incident occurred in the Keran sector when troops of the Indian Army detected a swarm of 15 drones hovering near the border.
Soldiers immediately engaged the targets with heavy gunfire, neutralizing eight of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), while the remaining seven retreated back across the border into Pakistani territory.
Following the encounter, the Indian Army launched a massive sanitization and search operation in the rugged terrain to ensure no suspicious payloads—such as weapons or narcotics—were dropped during the flight.
Security officials confirmed that surveillance has been significantly intensified across the region, with additional troops deployed to the Keran sector to maintain a high state of readiness.
While the situation is currently reported to be under control, the area remains under tight cordons as technical teams analyze the downed drones for further intelligence.
This thwarted intrusion is the latest in a series of escalating drone activities along the border. On January 13 and January 15, similar incidents were reported in the Rajouri and Jammu sectors, respectively, forcing the Army to activate sophisticated Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS).
Defense sources indicate that these drones are increasingly being used for reconnaissance and smuggling, prompting a permanent state of high alert among frontline units to prevent any violation of Indian airspace or infiltration attempts.
