New Delhi: The increasing frequency of drone intrusions from Pakistan, used to smuggle arms, ammunition, and narcotics into Indian territory, has emerged as a major security challenge, with agencies struggling to cope with the sheer number of drones being sent across the border.
Security officials say smugglers in the neighbouring country are deploying multiple drones in quick succession to overwhelm interception systems, hoping that at least one carrying a large payload will evade detection.
Indian security agencies have intensified efforts to shoot down or drive away drones as soon as they are sighted.
Compared with two years ago, the technology being used by security agencies has improved considerably, with officials estimating the advancement at nearly 50 notches.
However, these improvements have not been sufficient, and India’s national security planners believe that further technological upgrades will be required periodically.
An official said that the security agencies do have the technology to shoot down or drive away these drones.
The problem the border agencies are facing is that too many drones are being sent, and this has overwhelmed the system. The arms and ammunition and narcotic smugglers have adopted a new tactic of late.
They first send a drone as a test case. Within minutes, a second drone follows with a smaller quantity of drugs. Shortly after that drone is shot down, another one carrying a larger quantity appears. These are the drones that usually manage to evade interception.
“This is a clear tactic that has been adopted by Pakistan-based smugglers to stress the Indian security system,” the official said.
Another official said residents of several Indian villages along the Pakistan border had reported frequent sightings of drones in the area.
Villagers have told security agencies that another drone often appears soon after one is intercepted and shot down. They have also reported that such sightings are becoming increasingly frequent.
“The security agencies are working on upgrades continuously to tackle the ever-evolving menace of drones,” the official said.
An Intelligence Bureau official said that compared with Punjab, the number of drone sightings in Jammu and Kashmir has been lower.
However, these smugglers are gradually increasing the number of drones that they propose to send into J&K. There was an urgent need to drop arms and ammunition to help revive terror groups, the official said.
Further, the narcotics that would be dropped using drones are meant to fund terror, the official added.
Between 2025 and 2026, Jammu and Kashmir reported nine drone intrusions. The focus for now has been on small arms payloads such as pistols and cash along with smaller quantities of high-grade narcotics. These were meant to fund local handlers and sustain local terror groups.
The situation in Punjab has been considerably worse. A total of 854 drone intrusions were recorded across the Punjab and Rajasthan sectors.
As many as 474 drones were brought down or recovered, and 777 kg of heroin was recovered from the drone-assisted drops, while over 200 firearms, both automatic rifles and modular weapons, were seized.
Further, 10 kg of military-grade RDX explosives and 12 hand grenades were intercepted from payloads during the same period.
Officials say that the smugglers are exploiting the vast stretch of the International Border.
While drone technology has advanced considerably, the rising frequency of intrusions is posing a major challenge to security agencies.
There appears to be little respite, with the frequency of intrusions increasing manifold. The tactic is to send as many drones as possible in the hope that at least one carrying the largest payload will make its way into India, another official said.
