India: In a major move to strengthen border defences, the Border Security Force (BSF) is raising its first drone squadron to counter increasing aerial threats from Pakistan, especially in the wake of lethal drone attacks witnessed during recent Indo-Pak war.
The unit will be deployed at select Border Outposts (BoPs) along the India-Pakistan frontier and will include reconnaissance, surveillance and attack drones operated by specially trained personnel, official sources said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
This specialised drone squadron, to be monitored by a control room based at the BSF’s western command in Chandigarh, is a direct response to recent security challenges, including Pakistan’s use of drone swarms targeting Indian military areas.
A BSF officer said the force is also working with defence and intelligence agencies to install counter-drone technology at key locations to intercept and neutralise rogue UAVs.
According to PTI, sources confirmed that the new drone squadron will be stationed at BoPs spanning the more than 2,000-km India-Pakistan border across Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Each drone team will consist of 2-3 trained personnel.
Some equipment has already been procured, and training is underway in batches.
Meanwhile, smugglers have stepped up attempts to push narcotics and arms across the border using drones. The BSF recently recovered a DJI Matrice 300 RTK drone and a 3.7 kg heroin packet in Punjab’s Tarn Taran, and earlier intercepted drones carrying drugs and weapon parts near Amritsar and Khemkaran.
These frequent drone intrusions reflect the urgency behind the BSF’s decision to launch a dedicated UAV combat unit.
