With the help of Dronaam, India’s indigenous counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS), the Border Security Force (BSF) has been able to neutralise 55 percent of drones along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab, said Home Minister Amit Shah.
“I sleep fearlessly at night as I know you people are guarding borders. The new system installed is a great success,” the Home Minister underscored while addressing the 60th raising day of the Border Security Force.
The initial results of a “laser equipped anti-drone gun-mounted” mechanism, said Mr Shah, have been encouraging.
“This has led to an increase in drone neutralisation and detection cases, up from 3 per cent to 55 per cent, along the India-Pakistan specially along borders in Punjab,” Amit shah said.
India is working, said Mr Shah, to create a comprehensive anti-drone system to create a comprehensive anti-drone unit to secure its borders as the “menace” of unmanned aerial vehicles is going to get serious in the coming days.
“The drone menace is going to get more serious in the coming days… We are tackling this issue with a “whole of government” approach with the defence and research organisations and the DRDO teaming up,” said the Minister.
आज जोधपुर, राजस्थान में सीमा सुरक्षा बल के 60वें स्थापना दिवस परेड समारोह में वीर जवानों से संवाद किया।
देश की सीमाओं की सुरक्षा और अंतरराष्ट्रीय अपराधों को रोकने के लिए कटिबद्ध सीमा सुरक्षा बल के जवान रेगिस्तानों से लेकर दुर्गम जंगलों और बर्फीले पहाड़ों पर भी राष्ट्ररक्षा के… pic.twitter.com/ykwH0FJTRp
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 8, 2024
Dronaam, developed by Gurutvaa Systems, is a cutting-edge modular C-UAS designed to offer foolproof protection against illegal unmanned aerial systems (UAS). It is a versatile system that can provide directional or omni-directional coverage, making it suitable for various security scenarios.
The system can be configured as a fully integrated rifle-style device or a portable countermeasure in a backpack configuration. It is equally effective in fixed installations, where it can be mounted on moving or stationary platforms, offering the option of directional or omni-directional coverage.
“With the help of laser rays we can neutralise the drone,” Inspector Pawan Kumar who operates Dronaam told NDTV, adding that the hardware of the drone is jammed with this technology.
More than 260 drones have been downed or recovered from India’s border with Pakistan this year as compared to about 110 in 2023, per government data.
The maximum number of such interdictions of drones carrying arms and drugs have taken place in Punjab and very few in Rajasthan and Jammu.
Amit Shah reviewed the ceremonial parade, took salute and awarded medals to gallantry award winners.
The BSF, which has a strength of about 2.65 lakh personnel, was raised on December 1, 1965. It is primarily tasked with guarding more than 6,300 km of Indian fronts with Pakistan and Bangladesh apart from rendering a variety of duties in the internal security domain of the country.
Mr Shah said the ongoing Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System (CIBMS) for securing India’s borders with Pakistan (2,289 km) and Bangladesh (4,096 km) is a work in progress.
“We have had an encouraging response from the CIBMS deployed along the riverine border in Assam’s Dhubri (India-Bangladesh international border) but some improvements are required,” he said.
The Minister said the Union government has sanctioned a “big” budget for strengthening India’s borders — fencing, frontier infrastructure, roads and other logistics.
“Securing global recognition and the number one place for India by 2047 is not possible without our security personnel… the jawans who guard our borders with dedication,” he said.
About 573 new border posts, said Mr Shah, have been created by the Modi government apart from 1,812 km of roads.
BSF Director General (DG) Daljit Singh Chawdhary said as many as 190 drone devices were seized and mapped. “Their data was shared with sister agencies for further probe,” he informed.