The Border Security Force (BSF) has recorded a significant number of drone sightings across India’s eastern and western frontiers over the past year, highlighting the growing challenge of cross-border intrusions.
According to the BSF’s annual data covering the period from November 1, 2024, to October 31, 2025, the total number of drone sightings was 1,952.
- Indo-Pak Border (Western Theatre): At least 1,816 drone sightings were detected.
- Indo-Bangladesh Border (Eastern Theatre): 136 drone sightings were reported.
The total figure includes instances where the same drone may have been spotted at different border points and reported by multiple border guards.
The Pakistan-Based Threat and Rise in Downings
The use of drones by drug and arms smugglers based in Pakistan to send illicit goods—including drugs, arms, and ammunition—into India has been a persistent and growing problem since 2019.
- Hotspot: A majority of these drone intrusions are reported along the Indo-Pak border in Punjab.
- Downed Drones: The BSF’s Punjab sector has successfully intercepted and shot down nearly 255 drones in the state this year alone.
- Equipment: The downed drones are primarily of Chinese make, with the DJI Matrice and DJI Mavic models being the most common.
This surge contrasts sharply with earlier years: drone-based smuggling was first detected in mid-2019, with only two cases reported that year, none in 2020, and one in 2021.
Weapons and Security Implications
The weapons being smuggled via drones from Pakistan include AK-series rifles and Chinese pistols. While the cases were initially concentrated in the Punjab frontier, security personnel in Jammu have also begun regularly reporting drone sightings from across the border.
These smuggled weapons have been directly linked to high-profile criminal and terror incidents in India, including:
- The murder of Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala.
- The supply of ammunition to local handlers involved in the Rocket-Propelled Grenade (RPG) attack on the Sarhali police station in August 2023.
- The attack on the Punjab Police intelligence wing headquarters in Mohali in May 2022.
BSF’s Anti-Drone Strategy
To combat the threat of rogue drones, a BSF spokesperson detailed the counter-measures deployed along the western border:
- Anti-Rogue Drone Systems: 23 advanced anti-drone systems have been deployed. These systems are capable of detecting, interdicting, and neutralizing rogue drones using technologies such as jamming, spoofing, and cyber takeover mechanisms, proving to be highly effective.
- Thermal Imagers: The BSF has also deployed 100 ultra-light thermal imagers. These compact, lightweight devices can be used as handheld units or weapon-mounted sights, enabling forces to identify targets in total darkness, smoke, and fog without requiring any active illumination.