APSC Answer Writing (Daily) based on Assam Tribune – 10/05/2025

Model answer

Model Answer

Introduction:
The advent of drone technology has transformed modern warfare by enabling low-cost, high-impact operations, especially in asymmetric conflicts. The recent foiling of a Turkish-origin drone swarm attack by Pakistan along India’s western front underlines the urgency of addressing the evolving threat from unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

Body

1. Emerging Trends in Drone-Based Asymmetric Warfare

• Swarm attacks using AI-coordinated drones can overwhelm conventional defense systems.
• Use of civilian air corridors by Pakistan to evade radar and detection mechanisms.
• Foreign-supplied tactical drones (e.g., Asisguard Songar from Turkey) increase the lethality and precision of attacks.
• Potential use for arms drops, surveillance, narcotics smuggling, and targeting military assets.

2. Why It Is a National Security Concern

• Low-cost warfare: Drones are far cheaper than manned aircraft, allowing non-state actors and rival states to strike strategically.
• Surveillance and disruption: Can be used to collect intelligence or disable key infrastructure like radar stations and airfields.
• Border vulnerabilities: Porous and open terrains in Punjab, Rajasthan, and Jammu regions are difficult to monitor continuously.
• Civil-military overlap: Use of drones via civilian aircraft paths complicates the legal and operational response.

3. India’s Current Preparedness

• Deployment of anti-drone systems such as Directed Energy Weapons (DEWs), RF jammers, and radar integration.
• Use of indigenous technology like DRDO’s D-4 counter-UAS systems.
• Enhanced air surveillance grid and drone monitoring protocols in border states.
• Regular joint drills with defense forces to simulate and tackle drone threats.

4. Suggested Countermeasures

Conclusion

As drone warfare becomes the new frontier of asymmetric conflict, India must evolve from reactive defenses to proactive deterrence. A multi-layered strategy combining technology, policy, and diplomacy is essential to safeguard national security in the face of such emerging threats.rve as a model for other states—helping to build a system where rule of law and public confidence in justice are both strengthened.