bayraktar-uavs-raise-alarm-near-indo-bangladesh-border

Bangladeshi surveillance drones were spotted hovering close to the international border near Cherrapunjee and Shella in Meghalaya, while residents of the state were engrossed in a concert by Canadian singer Bryan Adams.

High-level sources informed News Aren India that two Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) were observed near the border, south of Cherrapunjee and Shella.

The drones were flying north of Chhatak and Sunamganj in Bangladesh, about 200 metres south of the zero line. 

One of the UAVs, identified by its transponder code TB2R1071, was reported to have been operated from the Tejgaon Airbase in Bangladesh.

 

 

Interestingly, the UAV activity coincided with the completion of a visit by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Dhaka, raising questions over the timing of the deployments. 

 

In addition to the sightings in Meghalaya, a similar UAV was intercepted by Indian Air Force radar near the West Bengal border, indicating an increase in UAV deployments along the 4,096 km-long border.

 

The Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones are equipped with high-definition video surveillance and thermal imaging and are also capable of tactical operations with precision-guided munitions (PGMs), commonly known as smart bombs.

 

PGMs are designed to minimise collateral damage while targeting specific sites.

 

Earlier, similar UAVs were spotted near the international border in West Bengal South Tripura and Western Mizoram, further escalating concerns over security in the region. 

 

Despite these sightings, the Indian External Affairs Ministry has yet to comment on the matter.

 

Security forces on alert

The sightings have raised alarms among Indian security forces, who are on high alert to prevent any potential subversive activities. Authorities and defence experts are closely monitoring the situation and stressing the importance of enhanced vigilance along the border.

 

Bayraktar TB2 UAVs overview