New Delhi (Agencies) July 13, 2025 In what appears to be one of the most extensive cross-border counterinsurgency operations in recent years, the Indian Army has reportedly carried out a high-precision drone strike targeting multiple insurgent camps of the United Liberation Front of Assam–Independent (ULFA-I) and NSCN-Khaplang (NSCN-K) inside Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, near the India-Myanmar border.
According to early reports, the operation took place in the early hours of July 13, involving over 100 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The primary targets included ULFA-I’s 779 Camp at Waktham Basti and its Eastern Command Headquarters at Hoyat Basti, both located in the Naga Self-Administered Zone. Unverified sources claim that Lieutenant General Nayan Medhi, alias Nayan Asom, a senior ULFA-I commander known for strategic planning and training, may have been killed in the strike.
The drone offensive also reportedly hit NSCN-K positions, though casualty figures remain unconfirmed. Intelligence inputs suggest the operation was based on detailed surveillance and may have involved coordination with local rebel factions inside Myanmar, although both the Indian Army and Myanmar’s government have officially denied conducting any joint mission.
While the Indian Army has not confirmed the operation, defense analysts interpret the strike as a strategic shift in India’s counterinsurgency doctrine, emphasizing precision drone warfare to neutralize threats operating from foreign soil. The timing coincides with heightened insurgent activity in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, and growing concerns over Chinese influence in Myanmar’s border regions.
The ULFA-I, in a press statement, claimed that 19 of its cadres were injured and acknowledged the death of a senior leader, though it did not confirm identities.
If verified, the operation signals a bold escalation in India’s regional security posture and a message of zero tolerance toward cross-border militancy.