BSF Launches India’s First Drone Warfare School in Tekanpur to Strengthen Border Security Post-Operation Sindoor

TEKANPUR, Madhya Pradesh, Sept 25: In response to evolving border threats following Operation Sindoor, the Border Security Force (BSF) has inaugurated India’s first dedicated Drone Warfare School at its Tekanpur training academy. The school aims to enhance both offensive and defensive unmanned aerial capabilities among officers and personnel.

The inaugural batch of 40 officers underwent a week-long “drone orientation” course, while a second batch of 47 trainees has enrolled in a six-week intensive “Drone Commando” program, covering piloting, tactics, rapid drone assembly, weaponization, and research & development. Trainees include personnel from Subordinate Officers, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, and Constables.

Additional Director General and Director of BSF Academy, Tekanpur, Shamsher Singh, said the school was established to address drone-enabled smuggling and other aerial threats that have evolved over the past five years, particularly after Operation Sindoor. “The school is organized into three wings: Flying & Piloting, Tactics, and R&D. The tactics wing integrates offensive and defensive operations and trains officers and soldiers together in combined roles,” he explained.

The school offers flagship programs: the Drone Commando course for frontline operational deployment and the Drone Warrior course focusing on counter-drone operations, including neutralizing rogue drones and rapid assembly techniques. Singh highlighted that the curriculum was developed after a thorough analysis of five years of border incidents and the technologies used by hostile actors.

BSF Inspector General Umed Singh noted that drone warfare has emerged as a critical domain globally, citing lessons from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. “Counter-drone capabilities involve advanced systems like spoofers, jammers, detectors, and both soft-kill and hard-kill solutions,” he said, adding that training on these technologies is already underway.

Brigadier Rupinder Singh, BSF Academy instructor, said the course emphasizes practical flying skills, tactical employment, and technical knowledge of drones and anti-drone systems. Field exercises, such as the “Drone Vajra” simulation, recreate conditions similar to border areas in Jammu and Punjab, preparing trainees for real-world surveillance and reconnaissance operations under variable environmental factors.

The initiative aligns with India’s broader strategic goal of modernizing its border security, integrating indigenous technology, and preparing the force to counter hybrid and asymmetric threats effectively. The BSF has also allocated approximately Rs 20 crore for procurement of jammers, radar trainers, and other counter drone equipment to strengthen operational readiness.