Army to use drone tech for border surveillance: Lt Gen A Sengupta

DEHRADUN: The Indian Army plans to conduct border surveillance along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) using modern technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and high-tech cameras while reserving troops primarily for ground operations in the near future. The announcement was made by Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GoC-in-C), Central Command, on Tuesday during the inauguration of Surya Drona Tech 2025, a two-day defence technology event in Dehradun, jointly organised by the Army and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).

The event concludes on Wednesday.
"The use of drones in warfare is increasing, as witnessed in the Ukraine-Russia war," said Lt Gen Sengupta. "The rise of this technology is unconventional but highly disruptive and effective for the defence forces. We, in the Army, are looking for high-altitude and rugged UAVs to protect our soldiers while proving their utility."
He added that 'all 26 passes along the LAC are currently under round-the-clock surveillance using modern technology'. “Efforts are on to ensure that in future, the boots on the ground would be utilised for operation while border surveillance is done only through technology,” he said.
Calling the event an important milestone, Lt Gen Sengupta added, “We look forward to Uttarakhand becoming a drone manufacturing hub in the country with UAVs being manufactured to cater to the requirement of the armed forces.”
The event featured 42 stalls by drone and defence tech manufacturers showcasing a wide array of products ranging from technology to secure meeting rooms that can detect and disable mobile phones without alerting users, systems capable of tracking foreign mobile activity in border areas to exoskeleton suits assisting the soldiers in climbing hilly terrain.
A live demonstration of UAVs in active operation was also held at the event. Key highlights included newly inducted robotic dogs referred to as multi-utility legged equipment (MULE) and UAVs designed for airlifting injured personnel during military operations.
Among those who attended the inaugural event were Uttarakhand Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd), SIDM president Rajinder Singh Bhatia, Lt Gen Sandeep Jain, Commandant of Indian Military Academy (IMA), General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Uttar Bharat Area Lt Gen D G Misra, GOC Uttarakhand sub-area Maj Gen R Prem Raj, and other senior defence officers.