MADHYA PRADESH, Sept 25: In response to changing threats along India's borders after Operation Sindoor, the Border Security Force (BSF) has established the country's first dedicated drone warfare school at its training academy in Madhya Pradesh's Tekanpur to build offensive and defensive unmanned aerial capabilities. Established last month, the inaugural batch, comprising 40 officers, underwent a week-long "drone orientation" course that included Commandant and Second-in-Command level officials drawn from all BSF frontiers and Subsidiary Training Centres (STCs). At present, a second group of 47 personnel is enrolled in the intensive six-week "drone commando course", which includes trainees from the ranks of Subordinate Officers, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, and Constables. Drone piloting, tactics, Research and Development (R&D) and following rising drone-enabled smuggling and threat tactics will be taught to these personnel at the school- the brainchild of the ADG and Director of BSF Academy, Tekanpur. Additional Director General (ADG) and Director of BSF Academy, Tekanpur, Shamsher Singh, said that the force has faced drone-enabled narcotics and weapons smuggling on the border for the past four to five years, and that those challenges have taken new forms after Operation Sindoor. "To face these challenges effectively, to train our manpower and equip our force so that they can meet these challenges, we have established the School of Drone Warfare last month," ADG said.
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