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BSF to raise ‘drone squadrons’ along Pakistan border after Op Sindoor
Officials said the drones were likely to be operated from sensitive BSF border outposts (BOPs) along the 3,323-km India-Pakistan border
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NEW DELHI: The government has decided to raise “drone squadrons” at the Border Security Force (BSF) to neutralise enemy drones and mount counter-assault across the border, people familiar with the development said on Tuesday.
The move follows an assessment of the four-day conflict with Pakistan between May 7 and May 10 that saw the neighbouring country send nearly 1,000 unmanned aerial vehicles into India to target military and civilian establishments.
Officials said the modalities for the “drone squadrons” were being drawn up, but they were likely to operate from sensitive BSF border outposts (BOPs) along the 3,323-km border from Gujarat to Jammu and Kashmir.
The proposed squadrons would include different types of drones, such as those for surveillance and reconnaissance, long-endurance models for precision attacks on high-value enemy targets, and kamikaze drones.
“Select BSF personnel with technical know-how are already being trained in drone operations, which includes surveillance, launching cross-border precision and swarm drone attacks, and engaging enemy drones, blinding enemy radars, jamming signals,” said an officer who asked not to be named.
It is expected that the identified BOPs would have two-three personnel trained in drone operations. They would be overseen through a command centre being created at BSF’s Chandigarh battalion.
This officer stated that senior government experts had already been in touch with several countries and Indian companies, and were exploring the available options.
“The Indian Army has its own drone capabilities, which are being enhanced, but having proper drone squadrons or having smaller units in each battalion has been discussed for the past 3-4 years. Post Operation Sindoor, this became the top priority and the government has conveyed that there won’t be any fund constraints,” said a second officer.
India shares 3,323 Km of its border with Pakistan, running along the states of Gujarat (508 km), Rajasthan (1,037 km), Punjab (553 km) and Jammu and Kashmir (1,225 km). BSF mans majority of the border from its 687 BOPs while the Army largely guards the Line of Control (LoC).
The BSF also had neutralised many drones and targeted posts of Pakistan Rangers across the border during Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the deadly Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, in which 25 tourists and a pony walla were killed. On May 30, Union home minister Amit Shah said the BSF destroyed and damaged 118 Pakistani posts in retaliatory action along the Jammu frontier.
Officials added that the BSF would also strengthen bunkers and the structures used by personnel near all the border outposts to minimise casualties during an offensive from across the border.
