How do suspected drone movements along the International Border challenge India's security strategies?

Suspected drone movements along the International Border, especially in sensitive areas like J&K’s Samba sector, have emerged as a significant challenge for India’s security apparatus. Drones are increasingly being used for surveillance, smuggling, and even delivering arms or explosives, making traditional border security measures less effective.

• Evasion of Traditional Surveillance: Drones can fly at low altitudes and are often small, making them difficult to detect by conventional radars and border patrols.
• Smuggling and Supply of Contraband: Drones are used to drop drugs, weapons, fake currency, and other illegal materials across the border, bypassing ground-based security checks.
• Threat of Terrorism: There is a risk of drones being used to deliver explosives or conduct reconnaissance for planning terror attacks, increasing the threat to security installations and civilian areas.
• Difficulty in Attribution: Identifying the origin and operators of drones is challenging, complicating efforts to hold perpetrators accountable and respond diplomatically or militarily.
• Technological Gap: Security forces may lack advanced anti-drone technologies like jammers, detection systems, and interception capabilities, leaving gaps in the border security framework.
• Resource Intensiveness: Continuous monitoring for drone activity requires additional manpower, equipment, and coordination between agencies, stretching already limited resources.
• Legal and Regulatory Challenges: The rapid proliferation of drones outpaces the development of legal frameworks and standard operating procedures for their detection and neutralization.