Big worry for India as after Pakistan now Bangladesh deploys Turkish Bayraktar TB2 drones along borders; It is capable of…

Bangladesh has deployed the formidable Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones along its borders with India,  a year after Pakistan deployed the Turkish-made UAVs at some strategic places. This comes at a time when India-Bangladesh relations are at an all-time low.

India-Bangladesh relations: Amidst the deteriorating ties between India and Bangladesh, which have taken a nosedive after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a new development has taken place which could further widen the gulf between the two neighbours, as Bangladesh has deployed the formidable Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 drones along its borders with India,  a year after Pakistan deployed the Turkish-made UAVs at some strategic places.

The worrying development comes at a time when Indo-Bangladesh relations have hit an all-time low, and threatens to further deteriorate ties between the two nations, with many geo political experts noting that Bangladesh was gravitating closer to Pakistan and China, and moving further away from New Delhi.

How dangerous is the Bayraktar TB2 drone?

The Bayraktar TB2 drone, which is manufactured by Baykar Makina Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş — a Turkish defence manufacturer — is a medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) capable of being remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations.

The Bayraktar TB2 is 8 times lighter than the American-made MQ-9 Reaper, has a maximum speed of 230 km per hour and boasts a wide range of offensive capabilities, including MAM (Smart Micro Munition) laser-guided missiles which can easily destroy modern battle tanks.

The drones have a operational range of around 300 km and flight time of 24 hours, making them capable of penetrating deep into enemy territory and without being detected by conventional radars. This ability makes Bayraktar TB2 drones perfect for surveillance operations or clandestine strike missions.

These advanced military drones have a payload capacity of 150 kg and are equipped with electro-optical cameras, infrared cameras, laser designators, laser range finders and laser pointers. They also produce a nauseating sound, which could be a method of sonic warfare, according to several reports.

According to military experts, Bayraktar TB2 drones changed the course of the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, when Azerbaijan, despite have a smaller military force, used these advanced military drones and Israeli Kamikaze drones, to hand a decisive defeat to Armenia — a larger military power who had Russian T72 tanks, missiles and rockets.

Why this is a cause of concern for India?

The Bayraktar TB2 drones are undoubtedly a formidable aerial threat for any army and has raised concerns for New Delhi as Bangladesh has deployed these along its borders with India, which is a hostile terrain made up of mountains, rivers and dense forests, making it difficult for the Indian Army to track these small, low-noise drones.

The Bangladeshi army is reportedly using these drones for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Bangladesh is the second country in the Indian subcontinent to acquire the Bayraktar TB2 drones, after Pakistan in 2023, received the first batch from Turkey and deployed these at strategic locations.

As per reports, prior to receiving the drones, a team of Pakistan Air Force officers had undergone extensive training in Turkey to operate this drone. Notably, Maldives has also inked a deal with Turkey to acquire 6 Bayraktar drones,

Can India counter Pakistan, Bangladesh’s Bayraktar TB2 drones?

Although, Bayraktar TB2 drones changed the fate of the Nagorno-Karabakh war between Azerbaijan and Armenia in 2020, it must be noted that despite other offensive military weaponry, Armenia lacked an anti-drone system which could take down these military drones.

However, unlike Armenia, India has a wide range of military drones, as well as formidable anti-drone air defense systems, which are capable of taking down a variety of aerial threats, including advanced combat drones like the Bayraktar TB2.

India-Bangladesh relations at all-time low

The once-friendly relations between India and Bangladesh have taken a nosedive after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad, coming to the helm in Dhaka.

Bangladesh has witnessed widespread communal violence against minorities, especially Hindus, which has soured Dhaka’s ties with New Delhi, with the latter accusing the Yunus-led interim government of not doing enough, and turning a blind eye to the atrocities perpetrated by radical Islamist elements against the minority Hindu community in the country.