Punjab deploys ‘hawai nakas’ to hunt down Pak drones with drugs
Due to the persistent arrival of drones smuggling drugs and weapons from Pakistan into Punjab, the state police have established “aerial checkpoints”—airborne barriers designed to shoot down hostile drones.
Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav stated that these “aerial checkpoints,” created by deploying three anti-drone systems, form a second line of defense in coordination with the Border Security Force (BSF).
The term “aerial checkpoint” has been coined to highlight the aerial dominance established by Indian security agencies.
According to Punjab Police and BSF officials, security forces recovered 474 drones and seized 777.474 kg of heroin along the Punjab border between 2025 and July 27, 2026. In 2025, 316 drone activities were recorded, resulting in the recovery of 313 drones and 385.119 kg of heroin. In the first seven months of 2026 alone, 161 drones and a substantial 392.355 kg of heroin have been recovered.
Punjab shares a 553-kilometer-long international border with Pakistan, traversing Pathankot, Gurdaspur-Batala, Amritsar Rural, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka. Yadav noted that while the BSF guards the fence and the “Zero Line,” the smuggling of contraband is “no longer limited to physical infiltration”; drones are increasingly being used to drop consignments for local couriers, who then retrieve and transport them further within hours. He added that this operation is conducted through excellent coordination among the BSF, the Army, and intelligence agencies.
Of the three anti-drone systems installed at a cost of approximately ₹53 crore, two have been deployed in Tarn Taran and one in Amritsar Rural, covering a stretch of about 210 kilometers across Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, and Amritsar Rural. These locations were selected in consultation with the BSF, the Army, and intelligence and counter-intelligence agencies, based on specific intelligence inputs and trends in recent drone activity. In addition to anti-drone systems, the second line of defense comprises 64 designated checkpoint (naka) locations across seven border districts. Of these, 28 are currently operational and manned by 317 personnel, including 238 police officers and 79 Punjab Home Guard jawans. Fazilka and Ferozepur have the highest number of designated points, with 11 each. Nineteen checkpoints are operated jointly with the BSF and are linked to their Border Outposts (BOPs). Across this grid, 87 CCTV cameras at 25 locations assist with technical surveillance. This is part of a larger border-area network of 2,336 cameras installed at a cost of ₹49.58 crore.
A police officer stated, “It is an ongoing battle, as Pakistani drones sourced from other countries are becoming more advanced, and Indian security agencies are simultaneously upgrading their capabilities to counter them.”
Following a review of 72 permanent checkpoint locations, four defunct points in Amritsar Rural were shut down, and three new high-tech checkpoints were added. Of the 68 currently operational checkpoints, 65 have been upgraded, bringing the compliance level to 96 percent.
The DGP said, “The combination of 64 checkpoints, 317 personnel, 19 joint checkpoints with the BSF, over 2,300 cameras, and three anti-drone systems creates a framework that ensures no consignment can enter Punjab unchecked.” He added that work to further enhance anti-drone capabilities is proceeding rapidly. Additionally, ₹47.97 crore has been approved for the procurement of UAVs, bomb disposal equipment, and bulletproof jackets for border areas for the year 2026-27.
