Introduction
Over the last three years, ceasefire violations and cross-border infiltrations have ebbed and flowed along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) between India and Pakistan. In recent times, a new challenge has emerged in the form of drone intrusions along the International Border. This commentary describes the nature of the threat, the security risks posed, and the countermeasures deployed so far. It argues that this emerging threat needs more attention.
What Does the Data Tell Us?
Source: Rajnish Singh, “Drone Sighting Along Border with Pak Tripled in One Year; 311 Observations in 2022,” ANI, December 26, 2022, https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/drone-sighting-along-border-with-pak-tripled-in-one-year-311-observations-in-202220221226201312/. These graphs have been created by the authors using the data presented in this article.
As the data in graphs 1 and 2 shows, out of the 492 total drone sightings observed on the India-Pakistan International Border from 2020 to 2022, 311 were in 2022, 104 in 2021, and 77 in 2020. Of these sightings, 369 took place in Punjab, 75 in Jammu, 40 in Rajasthan, and 8 in Gujarat.
Due to the increasing number of drone sightings, the threat level with regard to drones along the IB (Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat) is significantly higher compared to the LoC (J&K). Traditionally, attempts to compromise the Indian Army’s robust anti-infiltration system along the LoC have proven challenging, and the harsh winter conditions in that region make infiltration difficult. However, both state and nonstate actors from Pakistan can use drones to minimize the risks involved for human infiltrators and maximize the intended negative impact. This use of drones highlights the shift toward unmanned methods with reduced logistical costs.
The use of drones has also brought a new dimension to border security as they offer several advantages over the traditional methods of infiltration employed by Pakistan. First, they can fly at high altitudes and low speeds, making it difficult for border security forces to detect and intercept them. Second, they can be remotely controlled and flown from a safe distance, reducing the risk to human operatives engaging in infiltration attempts. Third, drones can carry payloads over long distances, making them an effective tool for transporting weapons, explosives, narcotics, and other supplies across the border. Fourth, drones can also be used for espionage purposes, allowing unauthorized individuals to gather sensitive information about military installations, critical infrastructure, and other key targets.
The threat posed by drones has been acknowledged by both the political and security establishments. Nisith Pramanik, Union Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs, said, “Anti-national elements/smugglers are using drones for smuggling of arms/narcotics across India-Pakistan border in Punjab State.” In the three years preceding February 28, 2023, there were 28 identified incidents of the recovery of drones that were involved in smuggling activities. According to the minister, these recovered drones were found to be carrying a significant number of illegal items, including 125.174 kilograms of heroin, 0.100 kilograms of opium, one 9mm pistol, seven pistols/revolvers, fourteen magazines, 132 rounds of ammunition, six detonators, and 4.750 kilograms of other explosives. According to then Indian Army Chief, General Mukund Naravane, “the easy availability of drones allowed both state and nonstate actors to use them, increasing the complexity of challenges faced by the security forces.” This acknowledgement of the threat was made following the twin-drone attack on the Jammu Air Force Station in June 2021, in which two unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) dropped two improvised explosive devices (IEDs), damaging a part of the building. This was the first reported use of drones to attack military facilities in India.
Reports have suggested that Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in collaboration with the Pakistani Rangers, has allegedly established six drone centers to aid in crossing the border. Through state and nonstate actors in Pakistan, various types of drones are used along the border, ranging from the DJI Matrice 300 RTK quadcopter, capable of carrying payloads up to 9 kilograms, to “assembled” drones that operate on varying frequencies. An investigation into a quadcopter drone that illegally entered Amritsar from Pakistan last December and was subsequently destroyed by the Border Security Force (BSF) has uncovered intriguing findings. A forensic analysis of the drone’s flight data revealed that it had not only operated within Pakistan but had also flown in China. The drone’s chip contained coordinates indicating that it had been airborne in Shanghai, China, in June 2022 and had made multiple flights in Khanewal, which is in the Punjab province of Pakistan, between September and December 2022. Some reports further state that drones have been observed flying up to 2-3 kilometers and landing within a 1-kilometer range in India, indicating that smugglers operate the drones from near the border with support from security forces in Pakistan. More recently, it has been reported that militants are using drones to transport cash and even magnetic IEDs across the border.
Countermeasures by the Indian Security Forces
The security forces are developing the capability to deal with the drone threat in both the kinetic realm (such as patrolling by security forces, deployment of anti-drone weapons, detection systems like radars, jammers, and so on) and the non-kinetic realm (drone forensics to find information on senders/receivers). Drones are also used by Indian security forces for surveillance, reconnaissance, and offensive operations, as well as to provide key logistical support in remote areas.
In response to a question in the Lok Sabha, Nisith Pramanik listed the measures taken by the government to address the smuggling of arms and narcotics via drones from Pakistan through the Punjab border. These are as follows:
- The BSF conducts round-the-clock surveillance through patrolling, checkpoints, and observation posts. They have erected a border fence and installed floodlights to enhance visibility during the night.
- They also strengthened their intelligence network and coordination with other security agencies.
- The BSF conducts detailed vulnerability mapping along the border to deploy additional surveillance vehicles and special equipment. They have installed integrated surveillance technology equipped with cameras, sensors, and alarms with a command-and-control system at the International Border.
As noted in the response, the BSF has also established an Anti-Rogue Drone Technology Committee to evaluate and certify the effectiveness of available technology. They conduct awareness campaigns among the public in border areas to sensitize them about UAV/drone activities and encourage them to report any suspicious activities to the BSF and local police. Similarly, the army in J&K has also been training Village Defence Committee members to help them spot drones and counter the threat.
The BSF has also procured more anti-drone systems for installation along the Indo-Pakistan border in Punjab, with ongoing trials. A report indicates that security forces have been working with both the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and private players to develop the technology to deal with this new and emerging security threat. This push to the indigenous startup ecosystem to develop counter-drone technology, combined with the drive to strengthen interagency cooperation, is a move in the right direction. The seriousness of the threat has also led to the establishment of a state-of-the-art lab in New Delhi to study drone forensics. The facility helps understand the information trail: landing points, source points, messages relayed, GPS coordinates, and so on.
In addition to these efforts, a February 2022 Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs Report stated that “Punjab has not drafted or articulated a separate police drone policy. However, specific area-based detection and neutralization of threats of drones are available and being improved upon. However, larger areas like borders remain a challenge.”
The BSF has shot down a total of thirty drones between January 2020 and February 2023, with six drones shot down this year alone, including four in Punjab and two in Rajasthan. In a December 2022 session of the Rajya Sabha, Member of Parliament Rajeev Shukla stated that there is a “need to enhance the capability and effectiveness of the anti-drone system.” He also highlighted the need to understand the reasons for a low hit rate and take corrective measures accordingly.
Conclusion
As the data shows, the number of drone intrusions in the last thirty-six months has increased steadily. Given this and the potential for other cross-border activities in addition to the smuggling of drugs, such as weapon delivery, terrorist attacks, and surveillance, this emerging threat will demand greater attention in the near future, particularly along the India-Pakistan International Border. Time will tell if the measures undertaken by the security establishment, particularly the BSF, are sufficient or if more needs to be done to adequately address this threat.
