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India working on anti-drone unit to protect borders: Shah
The initial results of a “laser equipped anti-drone gun-mounted” mechanism have been encouraging, Shah said in his address at the 60th Raising Day event of the BSF in Jodhpur
With the “menace” of unmanned aerial vehicles rising every day, India is preparing to create a comprehensive anti-drone unit to secure its borders, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.
The initial results of a “laser equipped anti-drone gun-mounted” mechanism have been encouraging, Shah said in his address at the 60th Raising Day event of the Border Security Force at its training camp in Jodhpur.
“The drone menace is going to get more serious in the coming days... We are tackling this issue with a ‘whole of government’ approach with the defence and research organisations and the DRDO joining hands. We are going to create a comprehensive anti-drone unit for the country in the coming time,” Shah said.
According to official data, more than 260 drones were downed or recovered from India’s border with Pakistan this year as compared to about 110 in 2023.
The maximum number of such interdictions of drones carrying arms and drugs took place in Punjab and very few in Rajasthan and Jammu.
Shah said the ongoing Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) for securing India’s borders with Pakistan (2,289 km) and Bangladesh (4,096 km) is a work in progress.
“We have had an encouraging response from the CIBMS deployed along the riverine border in Assam’s Dhubri (India-Bangladesh international border) but some improvements are required,” he said.
This has led to an increase in drone neutralisation and detection cases, up from 3% to 55%, along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, he said.
Shah further said that a robust infrastructure has been developed in border areas, and modern fencing systems have been installed to strengthen national security during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s tenure.
Noting that BSF is known as the first line of defense its soldiers have faced all challenges on the border with utmost bravery, the home minister said, “Whenever any challenge or untoward incident is reported from across the border, and it is confirmed that a BSF soldier is present there, we feel assured and worry-free.”
Shah said the BSF began with 25 battalions and has now grown to 193 battalions, making it the largest border guarding force in the world.
“For several years, the border security policy remained unclear, but after the Modi government came to power, border security has significantly improved under a clear strategy. During Modi ji’s tenure, robust infrastructure has been built in border areas, and modern fencing has been installed,” he said.
The Union minister also said that the Modi government’s Vibrant Village Programme (VVP) for developing and bringing into the mainstream the population of northern borders will be implemented for all the frontier villages of the country.
This is the Modi government’s “biggest achievement” vis-a-vis enhancing border security and working for the population living in these remote areas with a fund allocation of ₹4,800 crore. It is being run on an “experimental basis” in around 3,000 villages, he said.
Shah said the Union government has sanctioned a “big” budget for strengthening India’s borders — fencing, frontier infrastructure, roads and other logistics. “Securing global recognition and the number one place for India by 2047 is not possible without our security personnel... the jawans who guard our borders with dedication,” he said.
Shah said about 573 new border posts have been created by the Modi government apart from 1,812 km of roads.
The minister also reviewed the ceremonial parade, took salute and awarded medals to gallantry award winners and some other decorations.
The Border Security Force (BSF), which has a strength of about 265,000 personnel, was raised on December 1, 1965. It is primarily tasked with guarding more than 6,300 kms of Indian fronts with Pakistan and Bangladesh apart from rendering a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country.
BSF Director General (DG) Daljit Singh Chawdhary, who was also present at the event along with Union minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, said that 13,226 newly trained personnel have been posted in various battalions and this will add to the “operational strength” of the force.
An additional 4,000 freshly recruited personnel are under training while about 12,000 will join the force next month to learn security and combat skills before being posted at the borders, he said.
Chawdhary also spoke about the “increasing number” of drones carrying arms and drugs being sent by the enemy from across the Pakistan border.
More than 250 drones have been intercepted this year on the western border, he said.
“We have deployed a DRDO made anti-drone system to check this menace,” he said.
