New Delhi: The Indian Army’s Western Command held a meeting with senior Punjab Police officials to discuss the growing use of drones to smuggle drugs across the international border. The meeting focused on improving coordination between security and law-enforcement agencies and strengthening measures to tackle the threat.
According to a post shared on X, Punjab’s special director general of police (law and order), PK Sinha, and the additional director general of police of the anti-narcotics task force took part in the interaction.
The officials discussed how the rise in drone-based smuggling is a major threat and how agencies can work together to detect and stop such activities. The discussion also focused on better use of technology, faster sharing of information and closer coordination during operations.
Lieutenant General Pushpendra Singh, army commander, Western Command, underlined the importance of cooperation between different agencies. He said technology-based surveillance and coordinated action are important to deal with new security challenges along the border.
Punjab has emerged as a major hotspot for drone-assisted drug smuggling. According to data shared by the home ministry in Parliament in July 2026, Punjab recorded 298 of the 305 drone-assisted smuggling incidents reported across India in 2025.
The report also said drug trafficking groups operating across the border were using methods such as GPS-enabled consignments, encrypted communication and local networks to receive smuggled drugs.
Small drones have made the challenge more difficult for security agencies. They can fly at low heights and can be used at night, making them harder to detect in some areas along the border.
The latest meeting focused on creating a stronger response to such activities. Coordination between the Army, Border Security Force, Punjab Police, intelligence agencies and anti-narcotics units can help connect drone detection with investigations on the ground.
The involvement of the anti-narcotics task force is particularly important, as action against drug smuggling does not end with the recovery of a drone or a consignment. Investigations can help identify people receiving the drugs, local networks and larger trafficking operations.
The meeting comes soon after Indian Army chief, General Dhiraj Seth, met Punjab chief minister, Bhagwant Mann, in Chandigarh on August 12. Issues including civil-military coordination, border management, regional security and measures to strengthen defence preparedness were discussed during the meeting.
The latest interaction was aimed at strengthening security synergy and developing a coordinated response to the narco-drone threat. Regular information sharing and joint efforts could help agencies respond more quickly to suspicious drone activity and disrupt cross-border drug trafficking networks.