- Footage shared by Indian journalist Sandeep Unnithan shows a loitering munition resembling the Turkish YIHA-III shot down by Indian Army.
- Indian sources say the drone was part of a swarm-style launch from Pakistan, with similar wreckage previously found near Sialkot after an attempted cross-border strike.
Footage shared on social media this week by Indian defense journalist Sandeep Unnithan shows what appears to be a kamikaze drone intercepted by Indian Army air defenses during Operation Sindoor.
“Turkish YIHA-III drone shot down by Indian Army during #OperationSindoor on display at the army chief’s residence for the Vijay Diwas celebrations,” Unnithan wrote in a post on X, referring to the annual event marking India’s 1971 victory.
The video shows a loitering munition believed to be recovered after the interception. According to the footage and accompanying commentary, the unmanned aerial vehicle closely resembles the YIHA-III, a Turkish-designed loitering munition that has been linked in recent years to Pakistan’s expanding drone inventory.
As reported by regional media outlets, the drone was intercepted during Operation Sindoor, a cross-border military operation that involved what Indian sources describe as a coordinated swarm-style launch of nearly two dozen loitering munitions. The systems were reportedly launched from Pakistani territory and targeted sites across the border, prompting Indian air defense units to engage.
Separate reports have previously documented the discovery of drone wreckage near Sialkot following an attempted strike, with imagery from that incident also showing components resembling the YIHA-III. The airframe design, including a rear-mounted propeller, fixed wings, and a stabilizing tail unit, is consistent with known configurations of the Turkish system.
The YIHA-III is designed as a precision strike loitering munition, intended to detect, track, and engage targets such as air defense systems, radar installations, and forward operating bases. It is built to remain airborne for extended periods, allowing operators to wait for a suitable target before initiating a terminal dive. The lightweight and maneuverable airframe is optimized for coordinated attacks, including swarm tactics aimed at saturating defensive coverage.
The YIHA-III system has also reportedly been exported to several other countries, including Albania and Ukraine, though details on quantities and operational use remain limited in open sources.