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Recent tensions in India-Bangladesh relations following the overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina government have raised concerns about regional security.
Bangladesh's acquisition of Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones, and their reported deployment along the India-Bangladesh border for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, has put Indian security forces on high alert.
While Bangladesh claims the drones are deployed in a defensive role, their presence near the border has prompted increased vigilance from India. Defence experts assert that India possesses the capability to easily track and shoot down any Bayraktar drone that violates Indian airspace.
"The peacetime Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) is that no aircraft flies 10 kilometers near the border. Sometimes, both manned and unmanned aircraft stray into another country's airspace," a defence official explained. In such situations, a warning is issued on an international frequency, and fighter jets are scrambled to visually identify the aerial intruder. If it's a UAV, it can be shot down immediately.
Media reports indicate that the Bangladesh TB2 drones have been observed flying close to the international border in India's northeastern states, including Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. While these flights have remained close to the border, any violation of Indian airspace would give Indian forces the right to neutralize them.
India has a history of responding to airspace violations. In 2019, an Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 fighter jet shot down a Pakistani military drone using an air-to-air missile. India has also downed other Pakistani drones and intercepted a Georgian cargo aircraft that strayed into restricted airspace.
The Bayraktar TB2, while a capable drone with a range of 300 kilometers and the ability to carry laser-guided missiles, is not considered a significant threat to India's sophisticated air defence systems. India's radar systems can effectively track these drones, and its fighter jets are equipped to intercept and neutralize them if necessary.
