A joint operation by the Border Security Force (BSF) and Punjab Police on Tuesday led to the recovery of a Chinese-origin drone from the Tarn Taran district along the India-Pakistan border.
Acting on specific inputs provided by the BSF about a drone presence, search teams were mobilized on the outskirts of Mari Kamboke village in Tarn Taran.
During the combing operation launched around 6:30 PM, a damaged quadcopter drone was discovered lying in agricultural fields around the village.
According to the BSF, the recovered unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has been identified as a DJI Mavic 3 Classic model manufactured in China.
The development comes just a day after four packets of heroin, likely airdropped via a drone from across the border, were seized from a farmhouse in Fazilka district in a separate BSF-police joint exercise.
Security agencies have enhanced monitoring and surveillance mechanisms in border districts of Punjab amid intensified drone activity from Pakistan.
BSF data shows that over 150 drone cross-border crossings have been recorded this year so far, highlighting the mounting challenge posed by UAVs sent by smugglers and hostile agencies.
While drones have emerged as an innovative modus operandi for smuggling arms, ammunition, and drugs into Indian territory, the ones shot down or recovered recently have mostly been of Chinese make.
Experts point out that the use of Beijing-manufactured drones by terror elements across the border exposes the duplicity of China’s ties with both India and Pakistan.
Security forces are now utilizing advanced counter-drone techniques involving sky fences and drone catchers to intercept illegal UAVs entering border areas. Coordination with local police is also being enhanced by border guarding troops.
