A major worry in areas close to India’s borders with Pakistan and Myanmar is frequent GPS interference, especially through jamming and spoofing. Geopolitical disputes and the growing usage of drone technology for illegal purposes are the main causes of this interference.
By using GPS jamming technology, India has recently stepped up border security, especially along the Pakistani border with Punjab. The goal of this tactic is to interfere with the drones’ navigation systems, which are used by smugglers to bring illegal goods into Indian territory, such as drugs and small guns. According to reports, the region’s GPS interference level has been rated at or above 10%, indicating a high degree of jamming activity intended to impede drone operations. Drone sightings have significantly increased, with hundreds recorded each year, according to the Border Security Force (BSF), which has resulted in the recovery of a variety of illicit products.
These jamming systems’ installation is a component of a larger plan to improve border security using both kinetic and non-kinetic tactics. Although this jamming works well against drone threats, it can also disrupt civilian GPS use, which could impact regional aviation and automobile navigation.
In Asia, Myanmar has become a major location for GPS jamming. Since the military takeover in 2021, the military junta has reportedly been employing electronic jammers to interfere with GPS signals as part of its operations against rebel groups. This includes measures to stop communication signal disruptions from setting off remote-detonated bombs. Significant interference that can put airplanes in risk during crucial flying phases has been recorded in areas of southern Myanmar, which have been particularly affected.
GPS signal integrity has become even more complicated as a result of the crisis in Myanmar, which has increased military activity and the deployment of drones for both fighting and surveillance missions. Widespread jamming puts civilian aviation and navigation at danger in addition to interfering with military activities.
Instances of GPS interference through jamming and spoofing have increased as a result of the ongoing geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan and internal disputes within Myanmar. These events highlight how difficult it is for security forces to maintain border integrity while simultaneously protecting civilian navigation systems. Both nations will probably strengthen their defenses against these new dangers as drone technology develops.
