NEW DELHI: In a major move to strengthen border defences, the Border Security Force (BSF) is raising its first drone squadron to counter increasing aerial threats from Pakistan, especially in the wake of lethal drone attacks witnessed during Operation Sindoor. The unit will be deployed at select Border Outposts (BoPs) along the India-Pakistan frontier and will include reconnaissance, surveillance and attack drones operated by specially trained personnel, official sources said, as quoted by news agency PTI.This specialised drone squadron, to be monitored by a control room based at the BSF’s western command in Chandigarh, is a direct response to recent security challenges, including Pakistan’s use of drone swarms targeting Indian military and civilian areas.During Operation Sindoor, a retaliatory strike launched by India on May 7 following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, Pakistan responded by sending thousands of drones across the border.One such deadly attack occurred on May 10, when a bomb-laden Pakistani drone dropped explosives on BSF’s Kharkola post in the RS Pura sector of Jammu. The attack killed two BSF personnel and one Army jawan, critically injuring four others. One of the injured troops had to undergo leg amputation.As per PTI, the BSF has since begun fortifying its border infrastructure. Bunker walls and roofs are being reinforced with alloy sheets and additional protective measures are being implemented at vulnerable posts. A BSF officer said the force is also working with defence and intelligence agencies to install counter-drone technology at key locations to intercept and neutralise rogue UAVs.According to PTI, sources confirmed that the new drone squadron will be stationed at BoPs spanning the more than 2,000-km India-Pakistan border across Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Gujarat. Each drone team will consist of 2-3 trained personnel. Some equipment has already been procured, and training is underway in batches.Union home minister Amit Shah recently said the BSF “destroyed more than 118 Pakistani posts and completely dismantled their surveillance system” during Operation Sindoor, underlining the force’s aggressive role in recent border operations.Meanwhile, Pakistan-based smugglers have stepped up attempts to push narcotics and arms across the border using drones. The BSF recently recovered a DJI Matrice 300 RTK drone and a 3.7 kg heroin packet in Punjab’s Tarn Taran, and earlier intercepted drones carrying drugs and weapon parts near Amritsar and Khemkaran. These frequent drone intrusions reflect the urgency behind the BSF’s decision to launch a dedicated UAV combat unit.