The Meghalaya police have claimed to have spotted some Bayraktar TB2 UAVs flying in Sohra and Shella in the East Khasi Hill district, which is near the Indo-Bangladesh border. Given Bangladesh’s politically unstable chaos, these sightings have raised security concerns. The police later approached the Border Security Force (BSF) and also let the Indian Air Force know of the event. They were said to have been sighted flying over regions close to Chhatak and Sunamganj in Bangladesh and further escalating surveillance.
While the BSF has not publicly released any further details, a top officer of the force proposed that Bangladesh’s operation of the UAVs could be pegged as supranational activity during turbulence within the nation. Thus, we still have a relatively long way to go before our actions inspire confidence in neighbours who need those guarantees to be secure,” an official commented.
Among them, a UAV with transponder code TB2R107 was said to be flown from Tejgaon Airbase in Bangladesh. Baykar TB2 drone, also called Bayraktar by Turkey, has been popular for surveillance as well as strike missions. The Libyan UAV has a control range of 300 km and has a maximum ability to stay airborne for up to 27 hours, making it one of the most developed UAVs in the world. The country procured these drones sometime in the first half of this year in exercises to update its military forces.
Indian authorities are closely watching the situation. Better border surveillance and intelligence-gathering systems have been put in place in that area to increase the security of Indian airspace. The armed forces are also still studying countermeasures in case UAVs become threats in the area. The fact that these hi-tech drones are flying close to Indian territory is evidence of the growing significance of UAVs in the current generation of border protection and, therefore, the need to be more vigilant in exercising this sovereignty.
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