Operation Sindoor: How Pakistan uses ISIS-inspired drone tactics against India

The recent conflict between India and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor has highlighted a new shift in tactics. Unlike earlier confrontations, this phase saw limited use of conventional platforms like tanks. Instead, both nations relied heavily on aerial systems, especially drones, to carry out surveillance, targeting, and infrastructure disruption.

Pakistan deployed large numbers of inexpensive drones to challenge Indian defences. These drones served multiple roles—surveillance, probing airspace, and targeting installations. Their widespread deployment marks a shift towards grey-zone warfare in South Asia, mirroring patterns seen in other global conflict zones.

The idea of mass drone usage in asymmetrical warfare traces back to ISIS. During its peak, ISIS developed a fleet of crude, DIY drones, often made from commercial components and scrap materials. These drones were used to carry small explosives and evade traditional air defence systems, offering a model for cost-effective aerial operations.

ISIS’s drone strategy was initially supported by a wave of foreign recruits with technical expertise. Engineers and tech professionals played a major role in building and maintaining these systems. ISIS terrorists and drone experts like Abu Muadh Al Tunisi and Sajid Farooq Babar were key to this effort before being eliminated in airstrikes.

ISIS was able to achieve short-term tactical superiority using drones, particularly in Iraq and Syria. US military officials have acknowledged moments when ISIS drones significantly disrupted operations, with up to 70 drones active in a single day in some cases. This demonstrated the operational value of drones even against advanced militaries.

Pakistan’s recent use of drones shows a tactical borrowing from the ISIS model—using volume and surprise rather than just advanced systems. While Pakistan also used Turkish-origin drones like the Bayraktar TB-2, the broader influence remains rooted in non-state actors' strategies that blend low cost with high disruption potential.

India has used Israeli drone technology for strategic countermeasures, but on a smaller scale. The ongoing ceasefire remains fragile, with Pakistani drones continuing to enter Indian airspace. This evolution in combat tactics is prompting militaries in the region and globally to reassess airspace defence and drone warfare doctrines.

The recent conflict between India and Pakistan under Operation Sindoor has highlighted a new shift in tactics. Unlike earlier confrontations, this phase saw limited use of conventional platforms like tanks. Instead, both nations relied heavily on aerial systems, especially drones, to carry out surveillance, targeting, and infrastructure disruption.

Pakistan deployed large numbers of inexpensive drones to challenge Indian defences. These drones served multiple roles—surveillance, probing airspace, and targeting installations. Their widespread deployment marks a shift towards grey-zone warfare in South Asia, mirroring patterns seen in other global conflict zones.

The idea of mass drone usage in asymmetrical warfare traces back to ISIS. During its peak, ISIS developed a fleet of crude, DIY drones, often made from commercial components and scrap materials. These drones were used to carry small explosives and evade traditional air defence systems, offering a model for cost-effective aerial operations.

ISIS’s drone strategy was initially supported by a wave of foreign recruits with technical expertise. Engineers and tech professionals played a major role in building and maintaining these systems. ISIS terrorists and drone experts like Abu Muadh Al Tunisi and Sajid Farooq Babar were key to this effort before being eliminated in airstrikes.

ISIS was able to achieve short-term tactical superiority using drones, particularly in Iraq and Syria. US military officials have acknowledged moments when ISIS drones significantly disrupted operations, with up to 70 drones active in a single day in some cases. This demonstrated the operational value of drones even against advanced militaries.

Pakistan’s recent use of drones shows a tactical borrowing from the ISIS model—using volume and surprise rather than just advanced systems. While Pakistan also used Turkish-origin drones like the Bayraktar TB-2, the broader influence remains rooted in non-state actors' strategies that blend low cost with high disruption potential.

India has used Israeli drone technology for strategic countermeasures, but on a smaller scale. The ongoing ceasefire remains fragile, with Pakistani drones continuing to enter Indian airspace. This evolution in combat tactics is prompting militaries in the region and globally to reassess airspace defence and drone warfare doctrines.