Pakistan Deploys Over 50 Anti-Drone Units on LoC After Operation Sindoor, Focus on PoK Sectors

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Pakistan has deployed more than 50 anti-drone units along the Line of Control (LoC), with 20 of them added in November 2026 alone, as part of a revised military strategy after India's Operation Sindoor, officials said. The units are concentrated in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) sectors of Rawalkot, Kotli and Bhimber, directly opposite Indian Army positions in Poonch, Rajouri, Nowshera and Sunderbani.

The deployment involves Pakistan's 12th and 23rd Infantry Divisions, with the 2nd Azad Kashmir Brigade in Rawalkot, the 3rd in Kotli and the 7th in Bhimber given responsibility for the systems. According to the Pakistani military's plan, drone warfare has been made the 'first line of defence and first line of attack'. The units are tasked with detecting, monitoring and neutralising Indian drones and loitering munitions.

Pakistan is also integrating artificial intelligence for data analysis from cameras and sensors, and has procured anti-drone systems from China and Turkey. From China it has acquired the HQ-17AE short-range air defence system, and from Turkey the Korkut anti-aircraft gun and the Ehin counter-drone system. It has also added 35 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns and Anza Mk 2 missiles to its air defence. The counter-drone systems include the Spider, which uses radio frequency detection with a 10 km range, and the Safra, a portable drone-jamming gun with a 15 km range that can disrupt control, video and GPS signals.

What is the Line of Control and its legal status?

The Line of Control (LoC) is the military control line between the Indian and Pakistani administered parts of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was established through the Simla Agreement signed on 2 July 1972, following the 1971 war, and formally converted the 1949 UN-brokered ceasefire line into the LoC with minor adjustments. The Simla Agreement committed both countries to respect the LoC without prejudice to their stated positions and to settle differences through bilateral negotiations. The LoC is distinct from the international boundary and runs roughly 740 kilometres from the Chenab River to the Shyok River. The United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), established in 1949, monitors the ceasefire along the LoC, though India has maintained since 1972 that its mandate has lapsed.

What is Pakistan's new drone warfare strategy?

Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir has revised the military strategy to treat drone warfare as the 'first line of defence and first line of attack'. The deployment of anti-drone units is a direct response to India's increasing use of drones and loitering munitions for surveillance and precision strikes. Pakistan is also moving towards creating a separate Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) corps to institutionalise drone operations, training and technical development. In May, Pakistan's defence production ministry held a meeting with private-sector drone manufacturers in Rawalpindi.

How is China's BeiDou system aiding Pakistan's drones?

Pakistan has adopted China's BeiDou satellite navigation system for its military drones, JF-17 fighter jets, missile guidance and naval systems, reducing dependence on the US GPS. Pakistan adopted BeiDou in 2020, and since then cooperation on navigation technology, training and ground-based support systems has increased. BeiDou helps drones determine their geographic location, fly on pre-set routes and improve targeting accuracy.