BSF Establishes Dedicated Drone Squadron to Fortify Indo-Pak Border After Operation Sindoor

Download IPFS

In a strategic enhancement of India’s border security, the Border Security Force (BSF) is raising its first dedicated “drone squadron” for deployment along the India-Pakistan border. This decisive move comes in the wake of lessons learned from “Operation Sindoor,” a recent retaliatory strike by India that highlighted the escalating threat of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from across the frontier.

Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7, 2025, was a targeted response to the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people. During the subsequent four-day military engagement from May 7 to May 10, Pakistan reportedly deployed thousands of drones, including swarms, to target Indian military and civilian establishments. A particularly severe incident on May 10 saw a bomb-laden Pakistani drone strike the BSF’s Kharkola post in Jammu’s RS Pura sector, resulting in the deaths of two BSF personnel and one Army jawan, and critically injuring four others.

The formation of this specialized drone squadron is a direct response to such aerial threats, aiming to enhance surveillance, reconnaissance, and even offensive capabilities. The squadron will be based at specific Border Outposts (BoPs) along the more than 2,000-kilometer India-Pakistan border, spanning from Jammu in the north to Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. It will comprise an assortment of surveillance, reconnaissance, and attack drones, operated by specially trained BSF personnel. A central control room at the BSF’s western command headquarters in Chandigarh will navigate the squadron.

Beyond the deployment of these new drone units, the BSF is also “hardening” its defenses and posts against lethal UAV attacks. This includes reinforcing bunker roofs and walls with alloy sheets and implementing additional protective measures at vulnerable locations. Furthermore, the BSF is reportedly in communication with defense research and intelligence agencies to deploy advanced counter-drone systems at select border posts to neutralize rogue or armed drones.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently underscored the BSF’s effectiveness during Operation Sindoor, stating that the force had “destroyed more than 118 Pakistani posts and completely dismantled their surveillance system.” This latest initiative to establish a dedicated drone squadron signifies a proactive and technologically driven shift in India’s border defense doctrine, moving towards a more assertive posture in combating cross-border threats, including those posed by drone-assisted smuggling of narcotics and weapons. The coming months will demonstrate the full impact of these enhanced capabilities on border security.