New Delhi (Star Struck Times) — India has stationed First Person View (FPV) drones close to the Pakistan border as part of the high-stakes border mission under Operation Sindoor, officials confirm. These agile unmanned platforms have been deployed in forward locations in the western sector, with deployment commencing in early May 2025 in the run-up to heightened aerial activity.
The deployment comes as the Indian defence establishment ramps up surveillance and tactical readiness following multiple drone incursions from across the border. According to a detailed report in The Indian Express, drone warfare — particularly inexpensive FPV craft — played a pivotal role during Operation Sindoor, where Pakistan launched swarms of low-cost drones as part of hybrid war tactics.
Army and Air Force sources indicate that the FPV drones are now being used to monitor infiltration/launch zones, provide real-time intelligence, and act as decoys or suppressive platforms if required. One senior defence official said: “We are operating multiple FPV platforms at lower altitudes, in terrain where larger systems can’t reach, thereby closing the blind-spots along the border.”
On the Pakistani side of the Line of Control and International Border, these moves have triggered heightened alert. In previous phases of Operation Sindoor, India’s air defence units claimed to have neutralised over 600 drones launched by Pakistan across the western frontier.
Analysts say the deployment of FPV drones highlights India’s shift to low-signature, agile unmanned warfare, mirroring lessons learned during Ukraine’s drone operations and elsewhere. As noted by the Express report, “When you use very cheap drones that carry warheads barely weighing a kilo … a $1,000 drone damaging a $200 million aircraft is our new reality.”
In a statement to press, an Indian Army spokesperson confirmed: “Our FPV units are now operational in the western theatre, integrated with our surveillance grid and counter-UAS systems.” He added that this was all part of a layered strategy that includes conventional radars, anti-drone guns, jammers, and UAVs all working together.
Social media users along the border region have picked up on the increased activity. One local resident from Gujarat remarked: “We’ve seen more drone patrols and low-flying craft in recent days — it’s a different kind of watch-and-wait game now.”
This deployment underscores a broader strategic message from India: when challenged, it is willing to innovate rapidly and deploy unmanned assets in defence of its airspace and territorial integrity. As the Defence Ministry has repeatedly stressed, the operations remain “non-escalatory and calibrated,” even as they push technological boundaries.
FAQs
Q1: What exactly are FPV drones?
FPV (First Person View) drones are unmanned aerial craft piloted remotely, often by a camera feed that gives the operator a real-time view as though they are on board. They tend to be smaller, more manoeuvrable, and cheaper than larger UAVs.
Q2: Why deploy them near the Pakistan border?
The terrain and asymmetric threat along the India-Pakistan border favour low-signature platforms. FPVs help plug surveillance gaps, monitor possible infiltration or missile/drone launches, and provide tactical flexibility.
Q3: Is this escalation?
Not necessarily. While the deployment is a visible step up, Indian officials frame it as a defensive measure within the scope of the ongoing Operation Sindoor campaign. The message remains that India will respond proportionately.
Q4: Will this lead to more unmanned drone attacks?
There is always risk. Analysts warn that use of drones and loitering munitions is rising globally. India’s deployment indicates it is trying to stay ahead of that curve.
