Pakistan using drones along the LoC for surveillance, infiltration support (Img: Pintrest)
New Delhi: In recent months Pakistan has stepped up the use of drones along the India border, with security agencies reporting increased sightings along the Line of Control (LoC). Drones have been used extensively in recent years to smuggle arms, ammunition and narcotics, particularly into Punjab.
In August, security forces launched a massive search operation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district after a suspected Pakistani drone was spotted near the border.
Drone Sightings Along LoC
An official said that these drones are flying along the border areas to stage an attack. They are also being used to gather information about the movement of the Indian security forces so that Pakistan can affect infiltration of its terrorists who are waiting at the launchpads, the official added.
Aiding to infiltration
An Intelligence Bureau official said that all conventional methods of infiltration have failed in the last many months. The situation in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK), where protests are on for the last three months, is also not helping the ISI’s cause.
The security forces, who usually guided the infiltrations by causing distractions along the border areas, too, are busy with the ongoing situation in PoK, the official said.
The prolonged wait at launchpads is also adding to the frustration among terrorists, officials said. Some have reportedly been waiting for more than a year, leaving them frustrated and demoralised, the official added.
During the August incident, alert Indian security forces fired at the suspected drones, forcing them to retreat.
Officials said Pakistan could continue sending drones on a larger scale in an effort to gather information about the movement and positions of Indian troops. The drones are expected to be deployed more frequently around infiltration points, with the information potentially helping terrorists attempting to enter Jammu and Kashmir.
Terror Groups Pressurising ISI
The heightened drone activity also comes amid growing pressure from terror groups such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen on the ISI.
According to officials, these groups are seeking to carry out major attacks in Jammu and Kashmir but have been unable to execute their plans amid heightened security.
Another official said that while Pakistan has been using drones to gather information about Indian troop movements, efforts are also being made to use them for dropping arms and ammunition into Jammu and Kashmir.
Punjab Playbook Extended to J&K
The ISI is attempting at replicating the Punjab playbook in Jammu and Kashmir as well. In the last couple of years, Punjab has been facing a major drone menace.
Highly sophisticated drones that are linked to satellites are being used to drop off narcotics and arms and ammunition, the official said.
Officials said Pakistan has been using Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drones along the LoC, along with Turkey-made Bayraktar TB2 platforms.
These drones have been spotted near forward sectors along the LoC and are specifically being used to map the movement of Indian troops and feed real-time coordinates to those manning launchpads across the border, officials said.
Supply of Weapons to Terror Network
Apart from surveillance, Pakistan has also been attempting to use drones to drop pistols, magnetic sticky bombs, M4 carbines and grenades, officials said.
The weapons are intended for the local terror network in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said the ISI needs to ensure that its local network is adequately equipped while also facilitating the infiltration of foreign terrorists if it wants to rebuild its terror infrastructure.
This desperation has led to enhanced drone activity and it is very unlikely that the frequency would increase in the days to come, an official said.
