Indian Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has designated Bharat Electronics as the lead agency for development and production of much needed anti-drone system for the armed forces.

It is understood that anti-drone systems are now a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's security detail at his residence and portable ones will be part of his car cavalcade. This has been made mandatory as there has been a drone threat since beginning of 2020.

With Pakistan based terrorists using Chinese made commercial drones to cart weapon payloads and drugs across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir and international border, the DRDO has been able to successfully develop passive and active anti-drone technology to either disable or shoot down enemy drones.

It is understood that DRDO Chief Satheesh Reddy will write to the Indian armed forces soon informing them about the production of indigenous anti-drone system. The anti-drone system, which was deployed during 2020 Republic and Independence Day, has a range of over two to three kilometres with radar capability to pick up the drone and then use frequencies to jam the unmanned aerial vehicle. The other developed option includes spotting the drone through radar and then targeting it by laser beam.

Since 2019, Pakistan based groups have launched serial drone sorties across the IB in Punjab for delivering weapons and drugs to revive militancy in the border state. The same modus operandi is being used across the IB and LoC in Jammu and Kashmir. Commercially available Chinese drones can carry upto 10 kilograms of weapons and drug payloads.

While the DRDO has developed the system, the Indian private sector along with the security agencies have also been able to concurrently developed anti-drone system. The system has been tested on the LoC and has been able to successfully repel the aerial threat.