Editorial . . . . . . . 

Drone warfare has emerged as a new threat in many parts of the world. National Security Guard (NSG) spokesperson reiterated this point on, saying that the NSG was perfectly competent of addressing the situation. There had been rumours in the media a few days before that Chinese military drones were flying close to the Indian border in the Ladakh sector. Every security force, according to the NSG, needs to strengthen its capability to counter-drone technology. Drones are a simple way to cause havoc, drop explosives, and deliver payloads such as weapons and explosives.

Meanwhile, as per the media reports, the Indian Army has deployed drones along the Line of Actual Control to monitor border activities. In order to face both the Chinese and Pakistan challenges, the Indian Army has acquired drones of higher-end technology. At the time of the Cold War, drones like Firebee were employed by American forces in Vietnam for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. However, unlike Firebee, which could only stay in the air for around 75 minutes or more, current drones can stay in the air for many hours at a time and accomplish missions ordinarily performed by manned military aircraft. Some drones, such as Harop, have been engineered in such a way that they are capable of carrying out suicide missions and more than that.

Hovering around targets for hours and hours with sophisticated guided missiles might provide important intelligence inputs before taking any kind of corrective and aggressive and guided action. Drones that can land and take off from surface warships, for example, might be a game-changer for maritime forces. Unmanned systems have become an appealing alternative for short and limited battles as a result of recent technological breakthroughs, and most governments in the world are now seeking and employing armed drones. For nearly two decades, the United States has used weaponized drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Combat Vehicles (UACV).

The US Predator drone assisted in the identification of Osama bin Laden in Afghanistan in 2000, after which he was attacked and killed. However, the drone was not militarised for offensive use at the time. However, today’s drones can carry out flawless sniper strikes on individuals or groups of people, prompting widespread worry. It’s great news that India’s security forces, including the Army, IAF, Navy, and National Security Guard, are now armed with cutting-edge drones.

Simultaneously, they have various counter-drone technology including as radars, jammers, and drone-killing rifles to efficiently deal with drone strikes. But, instead of weaponizing drones, humanity would prosper the greatest if they were used for peaceful and developmental objectives.