Pakistanis using Chinese drones to intrude deeper into India, triggering alarm bells

File: A Pakistani drone that was recovered by BSF near international border in Amritsar

Pakistani drones are hovering over Indian territory again after days of lull post Operation Sindoor, triggering alarm bells among the security forces.

According to a report in The Times of India, Pakistani smugglers have resumed airdropping of weapons and drugs inside Punjab with the help of upgraded technology.

Sources said that the smugglers are now using drones that can reach deeper into the Indian territory and drop contraband with higher precision than before.

BSF DIG AK Vidyarthi told TOI that there was a temporary halt in such intrusions after Operation Sindoor but the activities have now resumed with greater precision.

What's particularly concering is that the drone intrusion, which was earlier restricted to areas near the International Border, are now being observed as far as 2km to 2.5km inside Indian territory.

Sources told TOI that Pakistani smugglers are now using hi-tech Chinese drones that can counter the anti-drone technology on the Indian side.

Drones are mostly detected by sound or sight, after which anti-drone teams are alerted to jam or disrupt their connection with operators across the border.

Sources say such interceptors should be placed every few kilometres along Punjab's international border to instantly track and neutralize incoming drones, the report said.

The report said that Pakistani drone pilots are now flying at higher altitudes close to the border to avoid getting detected. Upon crossing into India, they are dropping the contraband at a lower altitude. The operators are also using zigzag routes to avoid detection.

The drone intrusions by Pakistan has been a major security concern in Punjab, with BSF seizing as many as 100 Pakistani-made drones by May 2025 alone.

Last year, BSF had seized as many as 294 drones along the Punjab border, nearly twice the figure from the previous year.