Drones are new overground workers for terror groups in J&K: ISI steps up UAV ops along LoC
The traditional OGW system has weakened under sustained pressure from Indian security forces
- Jul 16, 2025,
- Updated Jul 16, 2025 5:06 PM IST
Drones have emerged as the new "Over Ground Workers" (OGWs) for terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir, with Pakistan's ISI now using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assist infiltration and surveillance along the Line of Control, officials told news agency PTI on Wednesday. This shift away from human networks marks a new phase in asymmetric warfare in the region.
The traditional OGW system has weakened under sustained pressure from Indian security forces, the officials said. "The reliance on the human network of OGWs has drastically been cut down as many of them have been arrested or have gone into hiding," a senior official noted. "The shift from human networks to drone technology is a new frontier in asymmetric warfare."
The use of drones has made it harder for security forces to detect infiltration routes or monitor terrorist movements. Some groups holed up in high-altitude areas of Kashmir, Kishtwar, and Rajouri are believed to be using UAVs for live surveillance of troop movements, which officials said has contributed to lower success rates in recent counter-terror operations.
In several instances, "drones are believed to be carrying dry ration for the holed-up terrorists in the higher reaches of the Jammu region," officials said as per the news agency.
The first major incident involving drones in Jammu and Kashmir occurred on June 27, 2021, when two UAVs targeted buildings at Jammu airport — a moment officials say marked the start of direct drone-led attacks in the region.
Initially, drones were used for drug smuggling and later for arms drops along the International Border in Punjab post-2017. Officials view this as part of a larger shift in strategy by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is now leveraging drone technology for “precise real-time situational assessments ahead of infiltration attempts."
According to officials, ISI drones are monitoring troop deployments, identifying terrain vulnerabilities, and supporting terrorist movements along the LoC and the International Border.
Credible intelligence suggests that in May this year, ISI officials and top operatives from Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed held a meeting in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The meeting reportedly focused on boosting local recruitment and "the importance of drone surveillance along the LoC to monitor conditions prior to infiltration attempts."
As part of this strategy, Pakistan plans to replace experienced guides with PoK residents to manage infiltration more effectively. ISI is also reportedly working on a larger operational plan - relocating terror training camps, building underground bunkers, and setting up new launch pads in PoK — in response to India's “Operation Sindoor.”
(With inputs from PTI)
Drones have emerged as the new "Over Ground Workers" (OGWs) for terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir, with Pakistan's ISI now using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to assist infiltration and surveillance along the Line of Control, officials told news agency PTI on Wednesday. This shift away from human networks marks a new phase in asymmetric warfare in the region.
The traditional OGW system has weakened under sustained pressure from Indian security forces, the officials said. "The reliance on the human network of OGWs has drastically been cut down as many of them have been arrested or have gone into hiding," a senior official noted. "The shift from human networks to drone technology is a new frontier in asymmetric warfare."
The use of drones has made it harder for security forces to detect infiltration routes or monitor terrorist movements. Some groups holed up in high-altitude areas of Kashmir, Kishtwar, and Rajouri are believed to be using UAVs for live surveillance of troop movements, which officials said has contributed to lower success rates in recent counter-terror operations.
In several instances, "drones are believed to be carrying dry ration for the holed-up terrorists in the higher reaches of the Jammu region," officials said as per the news agency.
The first major incident involving drones in Jammu and Kashmir occurred on June 27, 2021, when two UAVs targeted buildings at Jammu airport — a moment officials say marked the start of direct drone-led attacks in the region.
Initially, drones were used for drug smuggling and later for arms drops along the International Border in Punjab post-2017. Officials view this as part of a larger shift in strategy by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), which is now leveraging drone technology for “precise real-time situational assessments ahead of infiltration attempts."
According to officials, ISI drones are monitoring troop deployments, identifying terrain vulnerabilities, and supporting terrorist movements along the LoC and the International Border.
Credible intelligence suggests that in May this year, ISI officials and top operatives from Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed held a meeting in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). The meeting reportedly focused on boosting local recruitment and "the importance of drone surveillance along the LoC to monitor conditions prior to infiltration attempts."
As part of this strategy, Pakistan plans to replace experienced guides with PoK residents to manage infiltration more effectively. ISI is also reportedly working on a larger operational plan - relocating terror training camps, building underground bunkers, and setting up new launch pads in PoK — in response to India's “Operation Sindoor.”
(With inputs from PTI)