India-Pakistan Line of Control | 26 Aug 2026
Indian media reports citing unnamed security sources claim Pakistan has deployed Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 armed drones near the Line of Control for surveillance of Indian military positions. However, the reported deployment has not been publicly confirmed by India’s Ministry of Defence, the Indian Army, Pakistan’s military or drone manufacturer Baykar.
Reports allege Bayraktar TB2 activity near LoC
The reports claim Indian security agencies detected Bayraktar TB2 drones operating close to the Line of Control and assessed that the aircraft could be collecting information about terrain, troop movements and surveillance arrangements.
They also cite unnamed sources as saying ground-control infrastructure and mobile operating units may be positioned near Muzaffarabad and Kotli in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, which India calls Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
No publicly available photographs, satellite images, radar records, serial numbers or official statements establishing the location and timing of the reported TB2 flights accompanied the claim. Credent TV could not independently verify that the drones had been moved to forward areas or flown near the LoC.
Pakistan’s possession of TB2 drones is established
Pakistan’s possession of the Bayraktar TB2 is better documented than the latest deployment claim. Pakistan Air Force imagery from an operational air-defence exercise in September 2022 showed at least two TB2 aircraft, according to defence intelligence publication Janes.
Earlier satellite imagery had also shown a TB2 and associated ground-control equipment at Pakistan Air Force Base Murid in Chakwal district. The facility is named Murid, not Muridke, which is a separate city in Punjab province.
The total number of TB2 drones currently operated by Pakistan has not been officially disclosed. There is also no public confirmation that any flight reported near the LoC originated from PAF Base Murid or another identified facility.
What the Bayraktar TB2 can do
Baykar describes the TB2 as a medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned combat aircraft designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and precision-strike missions.
The manufacturer lists a 12-metre wingspan, a maximum take-off weight of 700 kilograms, a 150-kilogram payload capacity, an operational altitude of 16,000 feet and endurance exceeding 18 hours. The aircraft can carry electro-optical and infrared sensors, laser-designation equipment, surveillance radar and guided munitions.
Its endurance and real-time imagery capability could support sustained monitoring of military activity. Its ability to carry weapons means an armed configuration can conduct strikes, but the sighting of a TB2 would not by itself establish that the aircraft was carrying munitions.
The expression “Russia killer”, used in some coverage, is not an official military or manufacturer designation for the TB2.
India has previously raised cross-border drone concerns
During an official briefing on May 9, 2025, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi said Pakistan had attempted drone incursions at 36 locations between Leh and Sir Creek using approximately 300 to 400 aircraft. She said the possible objectives included testing Indian air-defence systems and gathering intelligence.
Initial examination of debris from that episode indicated the use of Turkish-made Asisguard Songar drones, according to the briefing. The Songar and Bayraktar TB2 are different aircraft, so that official finding does not confirm the latest TB2 deployment claim.
Separate suspected Pakistan-origin drone sightings have continued along the LoC and International Border. Security forces have responded with counter-drone measures and searches to determine whether weapons or narcotics were dropped.
Verification remains critical
If independently confirmed, forward deployment of long-endurance armed drones would expand Pakistan’s ability to monitor activity near sensitive LoC sectors and reduce the time required to conduct surveillance missions.
However, definitive conclusions require official confirmation or verifiable evidence identifying the aircraft, flight path and operating location. Claims about the drones carrying weapons, conducting hostile surveillance or preparing for attacks should not be presented as established facts without such evidence.
Indian authorities had not publicly announced any new military response specifically linked to the reported TB2 deployment as of August 26.
