Drone Interceptions Along Punjab Border Doubles As Pakistan Aims To 'Destabilise' India, BSF Upgrades Counter Measures

The Border Security Force (BSF) reported that drone interceptions along the International Border in Punjab have doubled to 200 this year in a "significant landmark" and "remarkable milestone."

The rise comes as Pakistani networks persist in smuggling narcotics and weapons, to destabilise India by fostering drug addiction among youth and disrupting social harmony.

In a statement on Saturday, the BSF confirmed the seizure of four more drones within the past 24 hours, bringing the total to over 200 rogue drones intercepted along this border.

The BSF secures the 2,290-km-long border on India’s western side, including 553 km along Punjab, with additional stretches in Jammu (LoC in Kashmir), Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

The BSF seized 107 drones along the Punjab border in 2023, but this year’s numbers have nearly doubled reflecting the force's upgraded anti-drone strategies and use of advanced countermeasures.

The BSF’s increasingly precise anti-drone operations have delivered a considerable blow to Pakistani syndicates attempting to smuggle drugs and weapons into Indian territory, according to the agency.

A senior BSF official revealed that the 200-plus drone seizures this year include drones that were shot down, jammed mid-flight using anti-drone technology, or found based on intelligence or local reports.

Most of these drones are Chinese-made, typically carrying payloads of drugs, small arms, and ammunition, with narcotics being the most frequently smuggled cargo.

The drone threat, which began around 2019-20, remains concentrated in Punjab's border districts of Amritsar and Tarn Taran. BSF officials noted that while drugs previously entered via land routes and underground pipes, drones are now the primary method for transporting illicit substances from Pakistan.