New Delhi: The Indian Army has announced the raising of dedicated drone-operating units named “Baaz battalions” along the western border with Pakistan as part of its ongoing operational modernization following Operation Sindoor. The first such unit in Punjab will function under the command of the Army’s 11 Corps, headquartered in Jalandhar, serving to bolster frontline units with advanced aerial reconnaissance and deep situational awareness.
These specialized battalions will act as centralized hubs to operate and manage a diverse fleet of surveillance and armed unmanned aerial vehicles. The drone ecosystem encompasses long-range platforms such as the American-manufactured MQ-9B, Israeli Heron and Hermes systems, indigenous Ghatak unmanned aircraft developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, and tactical systems produced by domestic manufacturers including ideaForge, SMPP, and NewSpace Research. Beyond tactical flight operations, the units are structured to handle technical maintenance, software integration, high-density data exploitation, and live coordination with ground forces.
The creation of the Baaz battalions complements recent battlefield integration efforts, such as the deployment of Ashini drone platoons across infantry battalions for immediate-vicinity surveillance and the adoption of loitering munitions within artillery formations. Driven by tactical insights gained during recent border standoffs along the Line of Actual Control and lessons drawn from Operation Sindoor, the initiative aims to ensure continuous intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance across operational theatres.
