The Crime Desk: Security forces are investigating how multiple drones flew across the international border with Bangladesh in the Indian state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister and State Police Minister Preston Tinsong has confirmed that the drones found near Cherrapunji a few days ago were flown from Bangladesh.
Preston Tinsong told the media that the BSF and the central government are in charge of the border. However, the attempts to infiltrate into India from Bangladesh or the drone that recently flew to Cherrapunji are always discussed in detail between the state and the central government. We are in regular contact with the Union Home Ministry.
What is the purpose of surveillance?
Although these are commonly called drones, in reality they are unmanned aerial combat vehicles. There is some ambiguity about the model of drones that were found in the Sohra and Shela areas.
Indian media reports say the drones are Bayraktar TB2 models made in Turkey. It is said that the Bangladesh Armed Forces signed a contract with Bayraktar in 2022 to purchase TB2 drones. That was the first purchase of a drone capable of carrying military weapons and attacking the country’s military.
An Indian Border Security Force official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that such drones fly at such a high altitude that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. He added that such drones are mainly used for surveillance.
A BSF official who has worked in the region said that there have been cases of drones being used for drug smuggling on the Meghalaya border before.
During the recent violence in Manipur, it was seen that armed groups have also used drones to drop bombs. However, cases of drones being used for drug smuggling on the India-Pakistan border do occasionally come to light.
Security risk
No security force is willing to officially say anything about what the drone found in Meghalaya was being used for. Apart from the deputy chief minister’s comment, no official statement has been received from the Meghalaya Police, BSF, or the military about this drone.
However, Dipanjan Chakraborty, a former officer of India’s elite commando force NSG and security analyst, said that no matter whether the drone comes from Bangladesh, Pakistan, or China, if India’s airspace is violated, it is a security risk.
The security forces are definitely investigating how the drone entered India’s airspace to a certain extent. Was there a lack of surveillance in that area? Dipanjan Chakraborty asked.
He said that there is a second aspect to this incident. The top leadership of Bangladesh must know that their country’s military power is not comparable to India’s. Therefore, they will not want to get involved in a military conflict with India. But beyond this, there is another part from which repeated provocations are being made to go into conflict with India. I am sure that India will not give in to any such provocation. But the military forces will have to be careful, said Dipanjan Chakraborty.
Sources in the Indian Border Security Force say that since this is an incident of airspace violation, it does not fall under their responsibility. The former BSF officer said that it is the responsibility of the Air Force. Again, the Indian Air Force said that since this is a matter for another country, only the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi can comment on this.
