On Diamond Jubilee, BSF flags drone threat, border crime spike; steps up winter vigil

Marking 60 years of its raising, the Border Security Force (BSF) used its Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Mohali on Tuesday 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 and 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 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.

The Western Command also detailed BSF’s massive 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.

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, more than 200 weapons and apprehended 53 Pakistani intruders and smugglers.

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

The Diamond Jubilee year also recognised extraordinary 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.

Khandare reiterated that despite difficult terrain, fog and hostile cross-border activity, BSF troops on the International Border and LoC continue to uphold the motto ‘Jeevan Paryant Kartavya’. An investiture ceremony to honour Police Medal for Meritorious Service awardees will be held soon.

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.