Pak's ISI-backed drones sent for smuggling sense jamming, scoot back

A Punjab police officer said that after sensing a disruption in the signal between the drone and its base station, the drones are programmed to return to the point where they took off

Security agencies along the 532-km Punjab border have reported a new trend in cross-border drone activity, with unmanned drones from Pakistan being detected and tracked but retreating across the fence before interception, The Times of India reported.

 

According to the report, these drones are operated by ISI-backed smugglers and are being used to transport arms, including AK-47 rifles, grenades, and drugs, into India. After the Indian armed forces carried out 'Operation Sindoor' in May this year, there was a lull in the drone activity, which has picked up once again, prompting security agencies to boost the three anti-drone systems (ADS) deployed along the border.

 

 

Citing a senior Punjab police officer, the report said that these new drones coming in from Pakistan are now equipped with the latest technology and are largely programmed with a fail-safe mechanism with a default setting of 'back to home'. Describing it as a "tech challenge", the official said that after sensing a disruption in the signal between the drone and its base station, the drones are programmed to return to the point where they took off.

 

India's anti-drone system up to the task: Official

 

The officer further said India's anti-drone systems are up to the task since most attempts to smuggle arms and drugs through drones are detected. These drones are either brought down or they fly back across the border, resulting in foiling the task. "The detection rate is very high, eight or 10 a day. Sometimes, even 15," he said, adding that they need at least 100 such ADS for wider coverage of the border areas.

 

Punjab steps up anti-drone measures

 

Under its 'Yudh Nashian Virudh' campaign, in the first phase, the Punjab government has deployed three vehicle-mounted ADS, which were launched by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party's national convener Arvind Kejriwal on August 9 this year in Tarn Taran.

 

The Punjab government plans to deploy nine more systems at a total cost of approximately ₹51 crore. Since the deployment of these ADS, Tarn Taran police have registered 12 First Information Reports (FIR) and have arrested as many suspects in Bhikhiwind subdivision alone for receiving contraband via drones. The seizure included four pistols, 75 bullets, five magazines, over three kilograms of heroin, 492 grams of ICE, and 506 grams of opium.

 

Lauding the ADS deployment, Bhikhiwind DSP Preetinder Singh said that the system has proved "very effective" in combating drone-based smuggling. The DSP added that previously, they used to rely on sound to track drones; however, the current technology gives them the exact coordinates of the drone, along with its speed, altitude, and other parameters.

 

"Up to a certain range and distance, jamming can neutralise the drone. But sometimes, the drone is at such a distance that jamming is ineffective, even though it can be detected. Detection has helped us make recoveries and arrests", Singh added.