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India Adopts Mechanisms to Track Pakistani Drones Allegedly Used to Make Cross-Border Weapons Drops

New Delhi (Sputnik): Concerned about drones allegedly being used to drop weapons and ammunition in the Indian state of Punjab from across the border, India’s Home Ministry has ordered the adoption of anti-drone mechanisms to neutralise this new threat, a media report said.
Sputnik

In a recent meeting with chiefs of paramilitary forces, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah ordered the Border Security Force (BSF), which acts as the first line of defence, to adopt anti-drone mechanisms on India's western border with Pakistan.

Citing sources, various media outlets have stated that orders to tighten security came after the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the BSF were reportedly questioned about why the drones hovering over Indian skies in September could not be detected.

Last month, the government in India's Punjab state cautioned the Central Government about receiving intelligence from its police force, that at least eight Chinese manufactured drones were used by Pakistan to airdrop a large number of AK-47 assault rifles and grenades into the Amritsar district.

On each sortie, the drones dropped packages weighing up to 10 kg and reportedly containing arms, explosives and communication equipment such as cellular and satellite phones.

The BSF has explicitly been working on "detection, identification and interdiction" of drones used from across the border to drop weapons reportedly meant for assisting terrorist activities in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir, the reports said citing sources.

The Pakistan Foreign Office and Pakistan's media wing the ISPR, both refused to comment on New Delhi's latest use of anti-drone mechanisms on the western border separating the two nations.

An official, privy to the development, but speaking on condition of anonymity, was quoted as saying: "The BSF, in its initial move, first of all, is trying to figure out the real threat from drones."

He further said the task before the BSF is a challenging one, and a team has been deployed to get information about the drones found by police in Punjab state which borders with Pakistan.

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