LeT, Khalistani Groups Procure Aerial Assets Amid Drone Sightings Near LoC | Exclusive

A latest compiled report of inputs and incidents on aerial activities and threats has indicated that terrorist outfits, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Khalistani extremist groups, have procured paragliders and associated equipment, raising serious concerns among India’s security grid.

According to sources, the detailed report has been prepared this year, with all the latest activities of aerial threats and activities to prepare comprehensive, multi-agency, multi-force counter-arrangements. This development assumes critical importance in the backdrop of increased drone activity along the Indo–Pak border, particularly during night hours.

Sources said that aerial activities have been noticed and countered primarily along the Indo-Pak border.

Forces have issued several alerts after detecting drones in forward areas, prompting heightened surveillance and countermeasures, based on the report and recent developments.

Sources further said that multiple reports of unauthorised flying objects have also emerged from different parts of the country. The evolving threat from aerial platforms such as drones, remotely piloted vehicles (RPVs), paragliders, hang-gliders, and similar devices is being closely analysed and factored into existing security arrangements, including Republic Day 2026, a senior official said while quoting the report on the condition of anonymity.

Sources said that the report noted that drones are increasingly being used worldwide to target dignitaries and other high-value assets, highlighting their growing role in asymmetric warfare and terror tactics. In this context, sources pointed out that motorised paragliders were used by Hamas to launch attacks in Israel, demonstrating how such platforms can be employed to bypass conventional security systems and carry out terror strikes.

Intermittent firing was reported from the Najote forest area of Billawar, about 10 km from the Kamadh nallah in the Kahog forest belt where security forces exchanged fire with terrorists on January 7, the officials said.

They said the suspected terrorists fired a few shots on observing the movement of the forces, who retaliated while moving deep inside the forest to neutralise them.

The cordon-and-search operation was strengthened, and efforts are on to track down the ultras, the officials said.

Earlier on January 12, suspected drone-like objects from across the border were spotted at multiple locations along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir, which prompted the security forces to activate counter-drone measures.