Drone threat looms over India-Bangladesh border: Security agencies on high alert

New Delhi, Aug 4 The sighting of a drone along the India-Bangladesh border has put the security agencies on high alert. A Made in China drone was found near the Durgabari Outpost of the Border Security Force (BSF) in West Tripura district. The drone is being taken to Delhi for forensic examination.

The initial assessment suggested that it was not a civilian drone. It had two high-resolution cameras, which indicates that it was not a civilian drone.

There are Intelligence reports that drone activity along the India-Bangladesh border may go up. It would be used more often by rogue elements who would want information on the position of the Indian security forces.

The data will then be used for carrying out illegal infiltration, cattle, drug smuggling, and counterfeiting.

Officials point out that this is similar to what they got to witness at the Line of Control and the International border with Pakistan. The security agencies had sighted drones in smaller numbers in Punjab and later in Jammu and Kashmir.

Initially, there were just reconnaissance missions, but later consignments of arms and drugs were being dropped off. In the days to come, some elements in Bangladesh are likely to ramp up the use of drones.

The Intelligence agencies assess that with the government in Bangladesh not sharing good ties with India, there is every likelihood that infiltrations of illegal immigrants may take place in very large numbers.

It is not just the rogue drones used by anti-social elements that India is worried about. The Bangladesh military had recently acquired the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones. These have been in operation near the Indian border. These drones have been flying within Bangladesh's territory and have been carrying out surveillance missions.

The Bayratkar TB2 is an armed, unnamed aerial vehicle (UAV) that is manufactured in Turkey. It includes a TB2 UAV platform, a ground control station, a ground data terminal, a remote display terminal, and advanced base modules.

The sighting of the TB2 is not uncommon. These have been in operation since 2024. Such drones have also been sighted near Meghalaya, which shares a 443 km border with Bangladesh. This unusual activity by the drones was reported near Shore and Stella in the East Khasi Hills district.

The agencies have alerted the BSF that such sightings may go up. The challenge would be to keep a watch on the drones used by the Bangladesh military and the rogue elements. India has already spruced up surveillance efforts in the region.

However, with time and given the current situation, the security officials will have to ramp up efforts further.

India has developed and deployed counter-drone systems to address the menace of rogue drones. These drones utilise both soft kill (jamming) and hard kill (destruction) technologies. Systems such as the DRDO’s D4 system are designed to detect, track, and neutralise drones.

These counter-drone systems are found more in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab, which share a border with Pakistan. However, with the Bangladeshis playing the same game that Pakistan had played, similar efforts would have to be taken along the Indo-Bangladesh border as well.

India has recognised the need to invest more in counter-drone research and technology. "The utilisation of armed drones by extremist groups to carry out reconnaissance and targeting strategic Israeli installations during the Israel-Lebanon war is an example of escalation of terrorist and insurgent drone capabilities," a policy document issued by the Civil Aviation Ministry had said in 2019.

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