Punjab CM Amarinder Singh had warned PM Narendra Modi of drone threat from Pakistan in November: Report

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had warned Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the threat posed by drones all the way back in November. The development came to light two days after it was revealed that drones carrying explosives were responsible for the blast seen in the IAF-controlled Jammu Air Base, possibly orchestrated by Pakistani militants.

According to an Indian Express report, Captain Singh, in a letter dated November 21, 2020, cited instances of drones from Pakistan dropping weapons and contraband at designated spots in Indian territory.

Officials told the publication that there were 70 to 80 such instances, with the drones being shot down in some cases. Soon after the Centre received Singh's letter, meetings were held between top state and central officials, intelligence personnel, and the Border Security Force (BSF).

Read | Security agencies devising strategy to counter drone attacks in Jammu and Kashmir

In his letter, Singh had warned that the delivery of weapons as far as 5 kilometres deep into Indian territory would have serious implications for “security of highly threatened protectees, security of public meetings/events.” He asked the PM, among other things, to install radars that can detect low-flying vehicles (not sure if it's the correct term) as part of re-thinking the strategy.

He urged the PM to develop "suitable measures" as it was "clear that Pakistan is deploying such platforms to deliver contraband from across the border,” read an excerpt of his letter as shared by IE.

The state's DGP Dinkar Gupta told the publication that drone sightings along the border were regular and the dynamic nature of threats posed by them was making border-fencing "redundant."

Since the explosion in Jammu, there have been sightings of drones in a few border points, with one even shot down by the Army. Security agencies said that there have been 300 sightings of drones along the border since August 2019 — when Jammu and Kashmir's statehood was revoked.