Militants with drone jammers. Why Manipur arms haul is worrisome

On May 20, a joint operation by security forces seized one of Manipur’s largest weapon caches in recent months. Over 60 weapons and significant war-like stores were seized. These included AK-series rifles, US-made M series rifles, German HK series assault rifles, carbines, shotguns, mortars and RPG-7 launchers. But a startling find in the cache seized from the UNLF(P) (United National Liberation Front, Pambei faction) were drone jammers, a sophisticated Electronic Warfare (EW) capability not seen with any Indian militant group so far. Media reports suggest the single back-pack drone jammer recovered was made in Taiwan. At least two smaller walkie-talkie sized jammers were also recovered in the raid in Lamdeng, Imphal West, conducted jointly by the Assam Rifles, CRPF and Manipur Police.

Drone jammers disrupt radio signals between a drone and its operator. They emit an electromagnetic signal on the exact same frequencies used by the drone, blocking the authentic main signal. This cuts off video feed, jams the remote connection and either crash-lands the drone or forces it to initiate a ‘Return-to-Home’ protocol.

Portable EW capabilities of the kind seized in Manipur are currently used only by specialised Signal units of the Indian Army. Anti-drone backpacks are issued to Signal units operating in support of the Indian Army and RR battalions to counter high drone and IED threats in the Udhampur-based Northern Command. Each backpack jammer costs between Rs 5 and 10 lakhs, depending on the configuration and signal strength. The smaller units have a jamming range of around 1 km, whereas the anti-drone backpack has an effective range of up to 5 kilometres.

Drones and counter-drone systems began to see widespread use during the Russia-Ukraine war which began on February 24, 2022. Advances like first-person view drones have been contested by drone jammers, from hand-held units to back packable versions and heavy vehicle-mounted jammers. This has seen the advent of wire-guided drones and satellite-steered drones, which have proved to be, so far, jam resistant.

A similar but smaller technology spiral has been seen in Manipur’s ongoing ethnic violence, which has pitted Meiteis against Kuki-Zo groups since 2023. Both sides have used or faced small commercial drones. Kuki militants have used weaponised drones to drop bombs with modified tail kits on villages and security forces. The fact that militant groups have begun acquiring jammers suggests another level of adaptation. These EW systems could be either used to defend against rival groups or surveillance drones launched by security forces.

The jammers are believed to have been smuggled into Manipur from Myanmar, where a civil war has been raging since 2021. This is why the recovery has broader implications for India’s Northeast security. A January 2026 paper by the London School of Economics describes Myanmar as the world’s ‘second-biggest drone fight’ with over 2,100 distinct drone strikes by resistance groups alone since 2021 across over 600 locations. Rebel groups have extensively used drones to fight the Myanmar Army, and even relied on foreign mercenaries. In March this year, Indian authorities arrested seven foreign nationals under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. The seven included six Ukrainian nationals and a US national who had entered Mizoram without permission and were returning after meeting with Myanmarese rebel forces.

The seizure of sophisticated EW technology once again highlights the porous India-Myanmar border as a major vulnerability. Most small arms seized by security forces on May 20 are believed to have flowed in from Myanmar. This is worrisome but not a surprise. The Northeast insurgent groups have long sourced arms from Myanmar via militant groups like the Arakan Army and the Kachin Independence Army. The smuggling of drones and counter-drone technology now has even more worrying implications for India’s national security.

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