Post Pathankot attack, government to form new SOPs for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Remotely Piloted Aircraft

NEW DELHI: The Home Ministry is in the process of finalising new Standard Operating Procedures ( SOPs) for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles ( UAVs) and Remotely Piloted Aircraft ( RPA) to secure India's border with Pakistan in the wake of recent terror attack in Pathankot.

Both UAVs and RPA are used by Indian security and intelligence agencies for surveillance related works within the Indian air space. The Home Ministry will form new guidelines to help security forces guard the country's frontiers, official sources said.

A meeting was held in the Ministry to discuss the provision of licensing for UAVs and RPA, they said, adding that the role of a centralised agency for their licensing was also discussed.

The move assumes significance as Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had recently admitted to "some gaps" that led to attack on Indian Air Force base in Pathankot during the intervening night of January 1 and 2 by six terrorists, who had sneaked into the country from Indo-Pak border in Pakistan.

They were killed during a counter-operation by Indian forces that lasted for about three days in which seven security personnel were also killed.

After new SOPs are finalised, the Ministry may deploy more UAVs and RPA at the country's border with Pakistan, the sources said.