Along Punjab’s border, it’s all about drones

On January 31, a revenue official named Pishaura Singh in Gilpan, Tarn Taran district of Punjab, observed a low humming sound in his village. He identified it as a drone launched from Pakistan, eventually landing near his kitchen garden. The drone was carrying a kilogram of contraband, possibly including drugs, sealed in two packets.

Singh alerted the local police and senior officials, but responses were delayed. By August 2025, nearly 300 Pakistani drones had been intercepted by the BSF and allied agencies in Punjab. The 462-km border fence, built in the late 1980s and early 1990s, stands 8 to 12 feet high and is equipped with concertina/razor wires and cobra wires.

However, the fence is located 150 yards inside Indian territory, leaving significant farmland between the fence and the actual border. This fence, once a modern Maginot line, has now become a target for aerial drone incursions. Security officials identified at least eight key drone launch pads in Pakistan's Punjab, including Jahman and Masteki.

The drones typically fly into landing areas in Indian villages such as Bhindi Saidan, Attari, Rajatal, Dall, Daleri, Maari Meghaan, Wan, and surrounding areas. The recent security analysis has shown an evolution in drone operations, from simple radio-controlled incursions to technologically advanced platforms with anti-jamming capabilities and even satellite-linked systems.