Use of drones in Indo-Pak cross border terrorism: Challenges, regulations and evolving responses

The proliferation of drones to states and non-state actors has created newer challenges for national security & border management. Globally, drones are being used by security forces as force multipliers in military operations, while non-state actors are employing drones for carrying out terror strikes, smuggling arms, narcotics, and by citizen journalists and other groups for disseminating information on government crackdown on public protests. The paper traces the increasing usage of drones in India, especially since 2019, while also analyzing the multifarious challenges faced by Indian security forces and law enforcement agencies from the use of drones by non-state actors. It analyses the rules and regulations that have been put in place in India to manage the spread of UAS/drones in the country while not stifling the domestic manufacturing. Finally, the paper explores the possible systems that have been explored by India and other countries to counter UAS/drones and the challenges posed in effectively countering drones in border regions.