A Sunday evening in Jammu and Kashmir reemphasized a known fact along the Line of Control. The Indian Army had to resort to firing at a Pakistani drone in Nowshera in Rajouri, as it tracked several intrusions in the air. It was noticeable, however, not only by the steeply streaking tracer bullets across the evening sky, but also by its re-emergence after its seemingly temporary retreat last year’s counter drone initiatives had momentarily made it seem like.
Several Drones Detected Near the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir
Officially confirmed that as many as five drones were sighted in one night along the LoC and the International Border in Samba, Rajouri and Poonch areas. Machine guns have been used to target the drone, and subsequent searches were conducted in case the payload dropped was arms or drugs.
STORY | J-K: Suspected Pak drones seen hovering over areas along LoC, IB; search ops launched
Security forces picked up movement of suspected drones in several forward areas along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts of… pic.twitter.com/lgd1kZBNhr
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 11, 2026
It was only the previous day that a drone carrying a consignment of weapons came from the Pakistan-occupied side in Samba. Such incidents represent a notable increase, as the incursions have considerably reduced after ‘Operation Sindoor’ in which dozens of enemy drones had been intercepted over a period of several months.
Why Pakistani Drones are Back on India’s Radar
Pakistani UAVs are back in Jammu and Kashmir in light of their application in the smuggling of arms and drugs for militants. Though there was minimal activity after Operation Sindoor, recent infiltration attempts suggest changing tactics in either exploring air routes or due to difficulties in entering through the ground route.
Why These Drones Matter
These are not spy toys. Security agencies associate such drones with arms smuggling and narco-Separatist cells that fund and arm terrorists. In the previous seizures, every successful deployment has resulted in the recovery of assault rifles, grenades and heroin weighing in crores in the black market. Even a small drone can accommodate five to ten kg of payload, sufficient to outfit an entire cell.
