NEW DELHI: Amid praise from Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai for its effective role in ‘Operation Sindoor’, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Monday stated that, soon after the government announced retribution for the attack by Pakistan-backed terrorists in Pahalgam, the force maintained a state of high alert along the borders. Officials from the top levels down to the last man positioned at outposts were actively involved in the operation.
During a media briefing, the DGMO highlighted that the BSF’s counter-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems were also deployed and integrated into the armed forces' air defence network to neutralise drones.
The BSF, regarded as the first line of defence, is responsible for managing the International Border with Pakistan and Bangladesh during peacetime, and is also deployed alongside the Army along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials explained that the BSF’s Western Command, headquartered in Chandigarh, is tasked with deployment and operations along the Pakistan border. The command is spread across five frontiers Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab (which are responsible for the International Border), and Jammu and Kashmir (which covers deployment along the LoC).
Each frontier is headed by an officer of the rank of Inspector General, who oversees several battalions responsible for maintaining a network of border outposts in their respective sectors. Over the past few years, the border guarding force has faced the challenge of smuggling narcotics and weapons from Pakistan via drones.
This challenge prompted the BSF to develop a ‘counter-drone system’, creating a robust architecture to meet its operational requirements. Punjab has emerged as the most active frontier for drone activity, accounting for the largest proportion of drone, drug, and weapon seizures near the border.
In response to this threat, the BSF began deploying anti-drone systems along the border. These systems, of various types, can detect and neutralise intruding drones by monitoring and jamming the radio frequencies linking the platform to its controller. As of the end of April, the BSF had neutralised over 70 drones.
“There are also other methods, such as guns, that provide a hard kill option. The BSF has been continuously reviewing and revising its protocols and operating procedures to detect and neutralise hostile drones,” a senior official stated.
Every seized drone is forensically examined to determine its origin, flight path, and destination. This helps the BSF identify hotspots and develop counter-strategies accordingly. Special laboratories have been set up in Delhi and Punjab for this purpose.
The officials confirmed that the BSF had remained on high alert along the border since India announced retribution for the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people on 22 April. Vigilance along the borders was heightened, and patrolling intensified. In Jammu and Kashmir, the force also responded to ceasefire violations by Pakistan, which had become a daily occurrence since the attack.