Pakistan's release of visuals on drone raises questions on Indian Army's claims

NEW DELHI: A series of visuals which Pak Army has released claiming they were from an Indian drone it shot down near the Line of Control earlier this month have raised more questions than answers, with some of the photos containing potentially embarrassing details.

The Army has stoutly denied it lost any drone over LoC in the Akhnoor area or that it had operated a quadcopter drone that Pakistan claims to have destroyed.

However, the visuals and other details put out by Pakistan Inter Services Public Relations directorate on Monday do correspond to an Indian Army battalion posted in the area.

The military unit is currently under the command of the 191 Independent Infantry Brigade.

Doubts also arose from the visual of the insignia of Rajputana Rifles, which too has a unit posted around the area. A plaque, which records the inauguration of a structure in 2003 under the Mahar Regiment, is also seen in the visuals.

Was the drone used for demonstration?

Responding to queries, a military spokesperson said: “They (Pakistan) have clearly taken their time in doing this. It’s all a part of Pakistan’s disinformation campaign.”

There is, however, an alternative version doing the rounds. According to this account, the civiliangrade quadcopter could probably have been used for a demonstration mission in the area.

Sources said the Chinese-made Phantom DJI drone may have been flown on the Indian side of LoC to provide a live feed of the border situation to a senior officer visiting a forward post. With a capacity to stay airborne for under 30 minutes, the drone had little ability to spy deep inside Pakistan but was capable of giving the senior officer an appreciation of the terrain, sources said. Another visual from the drone indicates a forward Indian location with the tricolor fluttering.

Pakistan has also released a photograph from the drone that apparently shows the office of a Mumbai-based firm, ASCOM.

On its website, the firm claims to be an authorised dealer for the Phantom DJI drones in India and lists the product for Rs 1.65 lakh. It’s quite possible that given its limited range and endurance, the drone may have flown off course. Being a civilian system, it was not equipped with an encrypted recording device.