Context: Punjab government informed a Parliamentary Committee on Home Affairs that drones have been sighted near the Pakistan border over 133 times in the last two years.
Punjab Border with Pakistan:
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The total length of Punjab’s border with Pakistan is 553 kilometres.
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The International Border with Pakistan is guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF).
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BSF is a Central Armed Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
What are the concerns with increased drone sightings for India?
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The major concern is drone attacks as India has seen drones dropping weapons, ammunition and drugs.
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The BSF detected weapons dropped by a suspected Pakistan drone in Jammu.
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In 2020, the BSF shot down a drone in Hiranagar, Jammu.
What are the Challenges of the Drone attack for India?
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Large borders: Larger areas like borders are a challenge to avoid drone attacks.
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Drone Swarms: There is the problem of swarm drones, where scores of drones overwhelm and confuse detection systems, resulting in some of the drones sneaking through.
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Loop-holes in the Laws: There are loopholes in the drone legislation with respect to implementation, training and cost which worsen the threat of drone attacks.
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Logistics Challenges: The major challenge before the law enforcement agencies for countering the drone threat is its detection, identification and safe neutralization.
India’s Anti-drone System:
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Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has now developed a counter-drone system for detection, deterrence and destruction of incoming drones.
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The newly developed counter-drone system will enable mitigation of the impact of drones posing a threat to national security.