The BSF Drone Warfare School is a training institution of the Border Security Force (BSF), located at its academy campus in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. It was inaugurated in August 2025 and is described in media reports as the first institution in India dedicated to drone warfare training. The school was established in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, when cross-border drone activity, including smuggling of weapons and narcotics, was reported to have increased.
Background Plans for the school followed several years of incidents involving drones along the India–Pakistan border. According to BSF officials, the force had encountered drone-related challenges since at least 2020, with a noticeable rise after Operation Sindoor in 2025. The BSF, which is responsible for guarding India's borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, identified the need for structured training in the use of Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) and counter-drone measures.
Organisation The school is organised into three wings. The *Flying and Piloting* wing provides instruction in piloting, maintenance and repair of UAVs. The *Tactics* wing conducts training in both offensive and defensive operations, including counter-UAS techniques. The *Research and Development* wing collaborates with technical institutions, including the Rustamji Institute of Technology and the Indian Institutes of Technology, on projects relating to drone platforms and counter-drone systems.
Facilities at Tekanpur include a live flying range, simulators, laboratories for payload integration, and equipment for radio-frequency jammers and interceptors.
Training programmes The school conducts multiple courses for different ranks within the BSF. CourseDurationTarget participantsFocusDrone Commando Course6 weeksConstables, Assistant Sub-Inspectors, junior ranksPiloting, maintenance, surveillance, counter-drone tacticsDrone Warrior Course1 week (with additional modules)Senior officersStrategic use of drones, counter-drone planning, operational integrationDrone Orientation Course1 weekCommandants and second-in-command officersIntroductory training on drone operations and deployment The curriculum includes modules derived from international conflicts, such as the Russia–Ukraine war, as well as studies of drones seized in border incidents. The first batch of 47 personnel began training in September 2025.
Research and innovation The school works with the Rustamji Institute of Technology in Tekanpur and with IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur to develop UAV technologies. Research projects reported in the media include work on stealth UAVs, swarm deployment, and counter-drone systems. The BSF has also announced procurement of jammers, micro-radars, simulators and related equipment valued at approximately ₹20 crore.
Significance Commentators and BSF officials have described the school as a step towards the institutionalisation of drone warfare within India's border forces. Officials have also stated that the initiative aligns with the government's Make in India programme, and that drone orientation has been added to all BSF training courses. The BSF has indicated that it plans to train about 500 personnel annually at Tekanpur.
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