Bangladesh Deploys Turkish Bayraktar TB-2 Drones For Surveillance Near Indian Border Amid Concerns Over Pakistan Ties

Amid growing concerns over Bangladesh’s deepening military ties with Pakistan, it has now come to light that the Bangladesh Armed Forces have acquired Turkish TB-2 Bayraktar drones and are actively using them for surveillance operations near the Indian border, according to a report by ANI.

Defence sources confirmed to ANI that Indian intelligence agencies have detected the drones in operation and are closely monitoring their movements.

The drones have been observed carrying out reconnaissance missions within Bangladeshi airspace, particularly in regions bordering India, over the past few months.

Some of these sorties have lasted more than 20 hours, demonstrating the drones’ endurance and capabilities. In response, India has deployed radars and other monitoring systems to keep a vigilant watch over these activities.

The Bayraktar TB-2, a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone, has emerged as a significant achievement for Turkey’s defence industry.

Adding to these tensions, the administration of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Mohammed Yunus has been seen strengthening ties with Pakistan’s intelligence agencies.

Reports suggest that Pakistani military officials have visited strategically sensitive areas near the Indian border, including the Chicken’s Neck corridor in Siliguri, West Bengal, a narrow land strip of crucial importance to India’s territorial integrity.

Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi recently expressed apprehensions regarding the increasing presence of Pakistani military and intelligence officers in Bangladesh.

Speaking at the ANI podcast, he had stated, "I had used the word epicentre of terrorism for a particular country (Pakistan). Now those countrymen, if they go to any other place and they happen to be our neighbour, as far as I am concerned, I should be concerned about it. That they should not be able to use that soil to send terrorists to India. That is as far as that is concerned."

The development raises fresh security challenges for India, particularly given the history of cross-border concerns in the region. Indian defence officials remain on high alert, ensuring that strategic measures are in place to counter any potential threats arising from these new developments.