Insurgent groups in Northeast India are increasingly employing advanced technologies such as drones for surveillance and logistics, raising significant concerns among security agencies and prompting reviews of defense strategies. A particular Naga insurgent faction has reportedly acquired various models of surveillance drones, including quadcopters and hexacopters, along with drone jammers. Intelligence suggests these drones have been sourced through networks from Myanmar’s Kachin region, with potential links to Chinese suppliers. While officials indicate these drones are primarily for reconnaissance, there are apprehensions they could be adapted for offensive capabilities.
Similar trends have been observed with Kuki militant groups, where some operatives have been experimenting with weaponized drones. Recently, a militant was apprehended near Guwahati with equipment related to drone technology. Moreover, intelligence reports reveal a Naga rebel faction is utilizing Starlink satellite internet for communication in remote regions along the India-Myanmar border. A Starlink device linked to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was seized by security forces in Manipur last year, and there are concerns that other insurgent factions might also leverage satellite connectivity from Myanmar.
Authorities have heightened monitoring activities after identifying approximately 2,500 Starlink devices operated by cybercrime networks in unregulated areas of Myanmar, many of which were subsequently disabled, particularly along the Myanmar-Thailand border. The use of Starlink services remains unauthorized in India, raising additional security and compliance concerns.
In response to these developments, the Indian Army recently conducted a counter-drone training program in Assam’s Tinsukia district, aimed at improving inter-agency coordination and enhancing countermeasures against drone threats. This initiative involved agencies such as Assam Police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL). The program featured demonstrations of emerging drone technologies and strategies.
During a visit to the Indo-Myanmar border, Union Secretary for Border Management, Rajendra Kumar, underscored the necessity for rapid integration of modern surveillance tools, including drones and advanced sensor systems, to bolster border management effectively.
