BSF Raising Day puts spotlight on anti-drone breakthroughs, seizures

Marking 60 years of its raising, the Border Security Force (BSF) used its Diamond Jubilee celebrations today to outline fresh security challenges on the Indo-Pak border and announce heightened winter vigil amid a spike in cross-border drone activity and smuggling attempts.

ADG Western Command Satish S Khandare, who presided over the ceremonies, said the BSF — now the world’s largest border guarding force with more than 2.76 lakh personnel — has expanded from 25 battalions in 1965 to 193 today. He added that the force secures 6,386 km of India’s borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, including 2,289 km managed by the Western Command alone.

Addressing the media at BSF Lakhnaur campus, he said fog season had prompted an intensified security grid to counter infiltration, narcotics trafficking and weapon drops. He highlighted major achievements of the year, including Operation Sindoor, in which BSF retaliated to Pakistani aggression, destroyed enemy infrastructure, countered hostile drones using anti-drone systems and prevented infiltration. Personnel involved were decorated with two Vir Chakras and 16 gallantry medals.

Khandare said drone incursions remained a major operational challenge, with BSF deploying multi-layered, indigenous anti-drone technologies integrating radar, EO/IR cameras and RF analysers. This year, 278 rogue drones were recovered along the Indo-Pak border. In addition, BSF seized over 380 kg of heroin, over 200 weapons and apprehended 53 Pakistani intruders and smugglers.

The Western Command also detailed BSF’s humanitarian role during the 2025 floods in Punjab and Jammu, when troops — working with the Army, Air Force and NDRF — rescued thousands of villagers from inundated border belts.

Helicopters evacuated 45 people in Akhnoor alone, while medical and veterinary aid camps were set up across affected areas.

The ADG announced that long-pending cadre stagnation issues have been resolved, with more than 23,000 personnel promoted under approved cadre review. A similar review for ministerial, stenographer, engineering and Group A cadres is underway. The force has also expanded MoUs with educational institutions to support wards of serving and retired personnel.

The Diamond Jubilee year also recognised sporting achievements. Constable Anuj of 10 Battalion earned an out-of-turn promotion for winning medals at international police games, while Mahila Constable Shivani of 155 Battalion received an out-of-turn elevation after her silver medal at the World Wushu Championship in Brazil — the first such promotion for a BSF woman in 21 years.

The celebrations concluded with a ‘barakhana’ and cultural programme attended by serving and retired personnel, where the ADG urged troops to stay alert, uphold the force’s honour and maintain uncompromising border security.