New Delhi: The Indian Army has taken full charge of monitoring and neutralising hostile drones along the northern and western borders. Any drone entering a ground belt of 35 kilometres or flying up to three kilometres in altitude will be engaged without delay. The move comes as armed and surveillance drones from across the border appear more frequently near Indian positions.
After Operation Sindoor, the Army revised its operational approach and expanded its drone response capabilities. New rocket regiments were raised as part of this change.
According to reports, the Army will now handle nearly all drone and anti-drone activity within this defined air and ground space. Air command and control centres are being set up along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.
These command centres will track enemy drones, launch Indian drones and carry out immediate interceptions. Along the western front, the Army plans to deploy around 10,000 drones. Along the 3,488-kilometre stretch of the LAC, more than 20,000 drones are being kept ready for operations.
The Army will work in close coordination with the Indian Air Force. Corps commanders will be in constant touch with regional air force commanders. Intelligence agencies and other security arms will also be linked to this effort.
The preparations gained urgency after India’s military offensive against Pakistan in May last year, when Islamabad sent swarms of drones built with Turkish and Chinese support. On the northern front, the Chinese military continues to use drones to monitor Indian movements along the LAC.
Beyond drones, the Army has already deployed two rocket force units. Two Rudra brigades and the 21 Bhairav Battalion are now positioned near sensitive areas. Artillery reach near the borders is being expanded. The rocket force was set up by earlier Chinese actions after attempts to alter the ground situation in eastern Ladakh, where rocket regiments were placed across the LAC.
With these steps, the Army has clearly defined its red line. Any hostile drone that crosses it will not return.
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