The backstory
About a week back, there was a
drone attack on an Indian Air Force base in Jammu. Two drones dropped
explosives and flew back. We do not yet know where the drones came from or if
they had a specific target, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting
an enquiry. All we know so far is that the twin explosions did not damage any
defense equipment nor did they cause loss of lives.
So what?
While the direct impact of the
detonations does not seem to be high, there is cause to worry. Although the use
of drones for disaster relief, mapping and surveillance is becoming
commonplace, drone warfare is still new to India, especially on the contentious
Jammu & Kashmir border. Disturbances on the Line of Control (LoC) have been
either due to direct shelling from the Pakistani side or the disquiet created
by proxies in the region, that is to say disturbances did not have an aerial
angle to them.
Yes, India and Pakistan exchanged tit for tat aerial attacks in the aftermath of the Pulwama bombing in 2019, but it was a more conventional move- with warplanes. But drones? Drones are the proverbial new kid on the block. Prime Minister Modi meeting with the Defense Minister, Home Minister and NSA immediately after the attack points to the challenges the drone incident represents.
There have been reports of signal
jammers and anti-drone systems being set up in the Jammu Air Forces base which
is pertinent, considering the imminent threat. But a more comprehensive plan and
rollout is warranted.
Israel’s semi-autonomous Iron
Dome system comes to mind- it scouts for incoming missiles, intercepts them and
triggers a detonation in the air, before the missiles can cause any real damage.
India needs an analogous system to counter threats from drones. With Xi Jinping
reaffirming China’s aggressive posturing during the Chinese Communist Party’s
centenary celebrations and the deepening Pakistan-China relations (including on
drones), investing in drone technology may not be a bad bargain.
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