Drone downed in Punjab last year had China, Pakistan footprints: BSF

A drone that was shot down by the Border Security Force along the India-Pakistan international border in Punjab last year had taken flight and had 'footprints' in China and Pakistan, a BSF spokesperson said on Wednesday quoting a forensic analysis report. 

The quadcopter was downed on December 25, 2022, near the Rajatal border post in Punjab's Amritsar district. 

A forensic analysis of the drone found that it flew in Fengxian district in Shanghai, China on 11.06.2022 and later it was flown from 24.09.2022 to 25.12.2022 for 28 times "within" Khanewal district of Punjab in Pakistan, the spokesperson said.   

An FIR on the illegal activity of the drone and its shooting on the Indian side was filed by the Border Security Force (BSF) with the Amritsar district police last year, he said.

The BSF, that is tasked to guard the India-Pakistan border, has set up a forensic analysis laboratory for drones at a camp in the national capital where it culls out data from the chips of the seized drones and studies its flight path and other scientific details.

A total of 22 drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) coming across from Pakistan were shot down by the BSF last year. All these downings took place along the international border in Punjab.

While one drone each was shot down in Punjab and Jammu during the entire 2020 and 2021, six have been brought down or seized by the force till February 20 this year. Out of the six drones caught during 2023, four captures were made in Punjab and the rest in Rajasthan.

According to official data, the drone sightings along the 2,289 km long India-Pakistan international border running along Jammu, Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat have increased from 77 sightings in 2020 to 104 in 2021 and more than 311 sightings during last year. Almost 75 per cent of these sightings have been made in Punjab where drones have been majorly used by the other side to push in and drop drugs and arms. 

The BSF has earlier said a number of the drones shot or recovered were made in China.