Topic: Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
5. What security threats are posed by Drones as a means of hybrid warfare? Can these threats be averted without stifling the growth in the use of Drone technology? Analyze. (250 words)
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
Yemen’s Houthi rebels used cruise and ballistic missiles, in addition to drones, in an attack on Abu Dhabi this week that killed three people and set off fires at a fuel depot and an international airport
Key Demand of the question:
Analyse in what way Drones as a technology offer a distinctively puzzling and complex security threat when it comes to terrorism and hybrid warfare.
Directive:
Analyze – When asked to analyse, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with recent incidences associated with Drone attacks in UAE. Also, give examples of similar incidents in India.
Body:
Drones are useful but also represents the start of a new dimension of hybrid warfare which can have ramification for world security. Also, there have been warnings that Pakistan-based terrorist groups could attempt to target military bases with drones.
Discuss in detail the security threats associated with Drones. Drones have developed significantly and acquired massive leaps in capability.
Weaponized drones were first used by the Islamic State in northern Iraq in 2016 and then in Syria.
They have wreaked havoc on Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations in Afghanistan and other hotspots, used for targeted and precise eliminations by both Israelis and Americans. What makes drones particularly dangerous is the fact that they fly very low making them undetectable to radar and leaving little by way of reaction time once detected.
List down initiatives to regulate drone use in India a world e.g drone rules introduced. Also, mention why the regulation should not stifle the innovations in drone technology. Suggest measures to tackle these challenges.
Conclusion:
With the increasing use of drones for cross-border smuggling, the Indian security agencies must look for various ways to put in place reliable systems as part of a smart border management mechanism for deterrence.
