Pakistan's drones bring drugs, weapons across border. Here's how India is fighting back

Drones from Pakistan continue to be a major menace for India. The Border Security Force (BSF) said it has shot down or recovered 100 Pakistani drones attempting to smuggle arms, ammunition and narcotics into Indian territory in 2023. In a series of posts on X, the BSF Punjab Frontier stated, “Till now, in 2023, BSF Punjab has successfully shot down or recovered 100 Pakistani drones being used by anti-national elements to smuggle narcotics, arms, and ammunition into Indian territory.” “Apart from recovering drones, narcotics, and arms, BSF has also successfully apprehended smugglers who were facilitating smuggling through drones,” the BSF added in its post. “BSF has implemented a three-pronged strategy, with the objectives of curtailing the drug supply, fostering awareness against drug abuse, and empowering the youth with skills to channelize their energy, thereby facilitating meaningful employment opportunities,” it added. Let’s take a closer look: Drones, drones, drones The Guardian quoted the BSF officials as saying drones have the “the main modus operandi of trafficking drugs” from Pakistan since the first UAV was spotted in 2019. There are weeks where five or six drones are intercepted. BSF officials say the influx of drones is aggravating the drug crisis in Punjab.

Around 60 per cent of the drug smuggling in the state this year was done via drones, officials say.

While many drones are loaded with opium and heroin – likely from Afghanistan – others carry pistols and Chinese-made assault rifles. These hexacopters, which have high-res cameras, can be up to eight feet wide. They have been found as much as 12 kilometres inside the border. [caption id=“attachment_13330662” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] China is the biggest manufacturer of drones in the world.[/caption] The drugs are usually placed in sacks or bottles of Coca-Cola. As per The Wire, the delivery of drugs and weapons across the border via drones have spiked sharply. Smuggling via drone has increased four-fold since 2020. The data seems to back this up. As per Carnegie India, the India-Pakistan border witnessed 77 drone sightings in 2020, 104 in 2021 and 311 in 2022. A Chinese hand While most operations are carried out from Pakistan, the drones themselves come from China. The DJI Matrice 300 RTK, DJI Matrix 350 RTK or DJI Mavic are the most commonly used drones. “The flight data of captured drones reveals that they had not only been operational within Pakistan but had also flown in China. The embedded chip in the drones contained coordinates that pointed to their airborne presence in Chinese territory and subsequently in Khanewal, in Punjab province of Pakistan,” the piece in The Wire stated. The Guardian quoted BSF officials as saying the numbers ‘were increasing every month’. “Anything which does not have a legitimate entry into India is a security challenge for us,” Atul Fulzele, the inspector general of BSF in Punjab, said. “Apart from use of drones for drugs, there are instances where drones have been found dropping weapons and it has potential to cause damage. We have to be really very watchful.” “We used just to be focused on land, but this aerial domination is a new domain for us and it is indeed a challenge,” Fulzele told The Guardian. “But I believe we will be able to contain this drone menace by next year.”

But countering the drones won’t be easy.

Eurasian Times noted that Pakistan’s drones fly at high altitudes and low speeds – making spotting and seizing them an arduous task. “Since these drones can carry payloads over great distances, they are practical tools for transporting weapons, explosives, drugs, and other supplies over the border. Drones can also be used for espionage against military installations, critical infrastructure, and other targets,” the piece noted. India fights back A piece in The Wire noted that Drone Emergency Response System (DERS) has been implemented in parts along the border. However, it noted that this is not a silver bullet. [caption id=“attachment_13446032” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Representational Image/PTI[/caption] “…more comprehensive, proactive and collaborative countermeasures are required,” the article concluded.

India is also getting in on the drone wars.

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Eurasian Times quoted reports as saying that the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) successfully tested its Autonomous Flying Wing Technology Demonstrator and indigenous high-speed flying-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) from the Aeronautical Test Range in Chitradurga, Karnataka this month. “The UAV, also known as the Stealth Wing Flying Testbed (SWiFT), is a significant step in India’s bid to indigenize its armed forces and reduce its reliance on foreign suppliers of weaponry,” the piece stated. As per Scroll, the BSF on Tuesday said it confiscated 2.09 kilos of heroin stacked in a black bag with illuminating strips in Punjab’s Fazilka district. The agency said this says it is likely that the package was likely from a Pakistani drone. The BSF on Monday foiled a smuggling attempt through a drone in Amritsar and seized 434 grams of heroin wrapped with adhesive tape. According to officials, BSF troopers launched a search operation after a Pakistani drone violated Indian airspace. In the ensuing search operation, the BSF troops seized 434 gms of heroin wrapped with adhesive tape from Amritsar’s Ranian village. “On 25 December 2023, during morning hrs, on specific information of BSF regarding smuggling through drone on the outskirts of Vill - Ranian & Rear Kakkar, District - Amritsar, an Operation was planned,” BSF stated in a post. The troops swiftly responded to the drone intrusion, which dropped the contraband before returning back to Pakistan. “BSF party at about 0642 hrs, heard a buzzing sound of a suspected flying object and dropping sound of something, resultantly the BSF party recovered 01 Pkt (Gross wt - 434 Gms) suspected to be Heroin, wrapped with transparent adhesive tape and a ring attached to it for hanging with the drone,” it added. Another attempt of smugglers to push narcotics into Indian territory via drone was also foiled by vigilant BSF personnel, it added. With inputs from agencies