Anti-drone unit will soon secure India’s international borders
Subhashis Mittra
The fact that more than 260 drones have been downed or recovered from India’s border with Pakistan in 2024 as compared to around 110 in 2023 cannot be glossed over. The maximum number of interception of drones carrying arms and drugs have taken place in Punjab, and some in Rajasthan and Jammu.
This menace is going to get more serious in the coming days, said Union home minister Amit Shah, adding that the security establishment was engaged in tackling this issue in a ‘whole of government’ approach with the border guarding forces, defence and research organisations and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Shah made these remarks at the 60th Raising Day event of the Border Security Force (BSF) at its training camp in Jodhpur, some 300 km from the India-Pakistan border. He said that India will soon set up a comprehensive anti-drone unit for the country to secure its borders as the ‘menace’ of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will become serious in the coming days.
While interacting with the troops, Shah said the initial results of a ‘laser equipped anti-drone gun-mounted’ mechanism have been encouraging as it led to an increase in drone neutralisation and detection cases—up from three per cent to 55 per cent, along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab. He pointed out that the Union government has sanctioned a ‘big’ budget for strengthening India’s borders—fencing, frontier infrastructure, roads and other logistics.
The BSF, over six decades, has strengthened the nation’s first line of defence through courage, valour, and sacrifice. The BSF is primarily tasked with guarding more than 6,300 km of Indian fronts—with Pakistan (2,289 km) and Bangladesh (4,096 km), apart from rendering a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country. It has faced all challenges at the borders and empowered the country’s first line of security. Shah highlighted that since 1 December 1965, when the BSF was raised, the para-military force has maintained an outstanding record of securing the nation’s eastern and western borders. He noted that as many as 1,992 BSF personnel have sacrificed their lives for the nation’s security.
Also, as many as 1,330 of the martyrs have been awarded medals to date. These include one Maha Vir Chakra, six Kirti Chakras, 13 Vir Chakras, 13 Shaurya Chakras, 56 Sena Medals, and 1,241 Police Medals.
Shah pointed out that the BSF has grown from 25 battalions at the time of its inception to 193 battalions today, and with 2.7 lakh personnel, it is the world’s largest border guarding force. In 2024, the BSF maintained its record of combating counterfeit currency, narcotics, infiltration, and Left Wing Extremism (LWE) through various operations.
He cited a number of significant steps to develop a robust infrastructure in border areas, ensure 100 per cent implementation of welfare schemes in villages, and establish excellent connectivity through rail, road, waterways, and technology in the country’s first villages along the borders. The government has laid 1,812 km of border roads in difficult terrains, thereby enhancing connectivity to villages in these areas.
Additionally, fencing has been completed along 591 km of the border with Bangladesh, with floodlights installed along 1,159 km of the border. Also, 573 border outposts, along with 579 observation posts, have been set up, and 685 locations given power connections and 575 places water connection. Besides, 570 solar plants have been installed to ensure regular power supply.
Shah said that the government’s greatest achievement is the Vibrant Villages Program, initiated on an experimental basis with a substantial budget of Rs 4,800 crore. Under this programme, several villages along the country’s northern border, particularly those facing the problem of migration, have been developed as ‘Vibrant Villages’. Various efforts have been made to provide comprehensive connectivity, healthcare facilities, dignity, employment, and basic amenities to the residents of these villages. This programme has been launched experimentally in approximately 3,000 villages and will eventually be extended to every village along the country’s borders.
The BSF has also established the country’s first National Coastal Police Academy in Okha (Gujarat) to train state police and border guarding forces deployed to secure maritime boundaries. The government has also introduced a Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) for monitoring sensitive areas along the international border. The CIBMS has been implemented as a pilot project in Dhubri (Assam) and initial results have been very encouraging. An improved CIBMS is expected to be implemented across the entire border with Pakistan and Bangladesh.