Security personnel cordon-off a street as local residents evacuate their homes near the site of a strike in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, on May 7, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AFP

On May 7, India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’, a series of precision strikes targeting nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). This operation was a direct response to the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including 25 Indians and one Nepali national. The Indian government attributed the attack to Pakistan-based militant groups, notably Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

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The strikes focused on dismantling terrorist infrastructure, including JeM’s base in Bahawalpur and LeT’s hub in Muridke. Indian armed forces hit nine terror infrastructure targets in Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) under ‘Operation Sindoor’ from where terror attacks were “planned and directed” against India, the Defence Ministry announced early on Wednesday (May 7, 2025).

What is Loitering Munition or LMS? 

A notable aspect of Operation Sindoor was the deployment of loitering munitions, also known as ‘suicide drones.’ These unmanned aerial vehicles are designed to hover over a target area, identify threats, and engage them precisely. Unlike traditional missiles, loitering munitions can wait for the optimal moment to strike, reducing the risk of collateral damage. Once they lock onto a target, they crash into it and explode. These weapons are often called suicide drones, kamikaze drones, or exploding drones.

These loitering munitions, part of the precision strike weapon systems used by the Indian military, are capable of hovering over the area to locate a target before striking. Indian Army has procured and inducted Loitering Munitions such as the Nagastra-1 by Solar Industries and the Warmate from WB Group of Poland. For instance, the Nagastra-1, manufactured indigenously by Solar Industries, can carry a 1.5 kg explosive payload over a range of 15 km, offering real-time surveillance and strike capabilities. 

What are the strategic implications of Loitering Munition? 

The integration of loitering munitions into India’s military arsenal marks a significant shift in its counter-terrorism strategy. The use of precision loitering munitions aligns with India’s stated objective of conducting “focused, measured, and non-escalatory” operation. 

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“Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” the Defence Ministry said in a statement issued at around 01.45 a.m. on Wednesday (May 7, 2025).