Pakistan arming Kashmir-centric terrorist groups with drones: Think-tank

"The drones sent in 2019 and early 2020 made a noise loud enough to be caught, but the more recent ones have advanced technology. The noise levels are significantly reduced, with only the mild fanning sound audible. While dropping, they make beep sounds twice," according to a piece by think-tank group The Usanas Foundation.

"The new drones are reportedly having infrared cameras and the ability to adapt the colour of the background, which means they will appear green, blue, and brown depending on the environment. The speed is too fast. The dropping happens in about five seconds. In an instant move, they return at the fastest speeds, as told by a police officer posted in the Jammu region, on the condition of anonymity," wrote Founder of Usanas Foundation Abhinav Pandya.

"There is a strong likelihood of terrorists using drones to target military and civilian installations, drop bombs at identified locations, the worst fear of SFs (security forces)," he said.

Besides, the drones have advanced cameras which can record their kills.

"Warring parties release footages of such kills to gain an edge in the propaganda warfare. In the on-going Armenian-Azerbaijan war, Azeri forces have released much footage of their drone kills," Pandya said.

In Kashmir conflict, the propaganda war constitutes the strongest part of Pakistan’s arsenal, he said.

"It has already done immense damage to Delhi’s goodwill. That said, if the militant groups release the chest-thumping footages of their drone kills, it can be powerful weapon to drub the Indian state in the propaganda war resulting in sufficient morale-boosting for the demoralised militant cadre and leadership," Pandya wrote.

"Interestingly, there is another dimension to this drone problem that makes it even more alarming i.e. the drone-manufacturing capabilities of China and Turkey, Pakistan’s strongest allies," he said.

In his opinion piece, Pandya said in the recent past, both China and Pakistan, have become staunchly anti-India.

"President Erdogan’s hateful rhetoric against India after the abrogation of Article 370 and Turkey’s unholy nexus with various Islamist groups in India has alarmed the Indian government. China’s aggression in Ladakh has almost ensured that the two Himalayan neighbours are only a step short of war. Hence, both China and Turkey are expected to render any help to Pakistan that could destabilise India," he said highlighting the new challenges for India diplomatically.

" China’s indigenous drone program ranks high alongside Israel, Turkey, and the US," he said.

"According to the Turkish sources, MAM-L drones, developed by Roketsan, a Turkish defense firm, are highly sophisticated and lethal machines with an impressive record of destroying 100 T-72 tanks in their entire operational history. Turkey’s MAM-L and Bayraktar TB2 inflicted severe damage to Russian tanks, armoured vehicles, infantry and artillery units, and air defense systems in Syrian war. In Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkish MAM-L and Bayraktar TB2 drones have effectively crushed Armenian tanks and weak air-defense systems,"Pandya wrote.

In the opinion piece, Pandya said: "Drone swarms can give a robust blow to India’s forward deployments, infantry movements, vehicle columns, artillery positions, air defenses, and logistical supplies. TB2, ANKA-S, and Burraq trio provide Pakistan with a highly advanced integrated system of Intelligence reconnaissance, surveillance on the LoC."