BSF Deploys Drone Squadron Along Indo-Pak Border After Operation Sindoor

Quick Summary

• The Border Security Force (BSF) is establishing its first “drone squadron” for deployment along the India-Pakistan border.
• The squadron will include reconnaissance, surveillance, and attack drones operated by specially-trained personnel.
• It will be navigated via a control room at BSF’s western command headquarters in Chandigarh.
• The move follows lessons learned during “Operation Sindoor,” launched after the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people.
• In May, Pakistan used thousands of drones, including bomb-laden UAVs, targeting Indian bases and civilian areas after Operation Sindoor began on May 7.
• on May 10,a Pakistani drone attacked an Indian post in RS Pura sector (Jammu),resulting in three fatalities and critical injuries to four troops.
• BSF plans to strengthen vulnerable bunkers against UAV attacks using alloy sheets and other unpublished measures for operational confidentiality.
• Counter-drone technologies are being discussed with defense research agencies to neutralize enemy UAVs.
• Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that more than 118 Pakistani posts were destroyed during Operation Sindoor, dismantling their surveillance systems.

Indian Opinion Analysis
The establishment of the BSF’s first drone squadron represents India’s evolving response to emerging security challenges posed by unmanned aerial technology on its borders with Pakistan. Following tactical insights from Operation Sindoor and targeted attacks like the one in RS Pura sector, this drone initiative highlights India’s push toward modernizing border security defenses while countering asymmetric threats such as opposed UAV incursions.

By integrating reconnaissance and strike capabilities directly into frontline operations managed via centralized command structures (e.g., Chandigarh HQ), this development could enhance real-time situational awareness along a complex frontier spanning over 2,000 km across multiple states. Strengthening border-outpost infrastructure suggests proactive preparation against future escalation risks but also underlines how technological warfare is reshaping conventional military dynamics between states.

Read more: https://www.thehindu.com/theme/images/th-online/1x1_spacer.png