Why Pakistan has been sending drones into India again
What's the story
Pakistan has resumed its drone provocations in Jammu and Kashmir. Since January 9, several Pakistani drones have been spotted across border sectors in the region. On Thursday, Pakistani drones were detected hovering along the Indo-Pak border in Jammu and Kashmir's twin districts of Poonch and Samba, prompting security forces to activate its anti-unmanned aerial system. Sources informed PTI that the drones were sighted hovering along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and the Ramgarh sector of Samba district.
Drone details
Nature of recent drone sightings
Notably, the drones recently spotted are small, reconnaissance-oriented units, unlike the kamikaze-class drones used during last year's hostilities. Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi confirmed this during his media briefing on Army Day. He said Pakistan has been "on notice" over these repeated activities and warned that firm responses would follow any misadventure. The concerns have also been communicated to Pakistan's military operations chief.
Strategic probing
Purpose behind Pakistan's drone activities
Analysts believe these drone activities are aimed at probing weaknesses in Indian defenses and testing response times. Drones are an essential tool for monitoring activity in areas along the LoC due to difficult terrain and lack of monitoring infrastructure. Geopolitical expert Sumit Raj tweeted that Pakistan is sending drones for "Recognition Operation" to check India's radar systems and army movements, while General Dwivedi suggested these incursions were an attempt to find gaps through which terrorists could be sent into India.
Escalation concerns
Former J&K top cop's view on drone activities
Meanwhile, former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police, SP Vaid called the activities a provocation. "Pakistan is hell-bent on escalating tensions between the two countries. While India has successfully deployed anti-drone systems, the nation is fully within its rights to strike the launchpads and bases from where these attacks originate," he said, sharing a video of a drone sighting.
Drone
Indian firm bags Army, Navy orders for anti-drone system
In a boost to the Indian military, an Indian defense company announced on Thursday that it has received orders from the Army and Navy for its homegrown anti-drone system. The IG T-Shul Pulse Anti-Drone System is designed to neutralize hostile drones and other aerial threats. It has a jamming range of up to two kilometers under line-of-sight conditions. Deliveries are expected in about a month.
System
IG T-Shul Pulse: Lightweight and versatile anti-drone system
The IG T-Shul Pulse is a lightweight and quickly deployable system, ideal for frontline troops, perimeter security, and safeguarding military bases. It is a handheld electronic warfare-based counter-drone jammer that can disrupt hostile drones in active operational environments. The induction of this system is a major step in enhancing India's counter-unmanned aerial systems capabilities under the "Make in India" and "Aatmanirbhar Bharat" initiatives.