Indian Army closely studying Israel-Hamas war to improve strategy: Report
What's the story
The Indian Army is closely studying the recent multi-pronged attacks on Israel by the Hamas group, aiming to learn valuable lessons and improve India's defense strategies, The Hindu reported.
The key focuses are reportedly the use of power gliders and drones by terrorists to bypass ground barriers and launch attacks in enemy territory.
Per defense experts, this tactic used by Hamas could be relevant to India's ongoing fight against cross-border terrorism, especially from Pakistan.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The drone attacks by Hamas in southern Israel last Saturday have reportedly raised apprehensions in India about the use of Chinese-made drones by terrorists along the Indo-Pakistan border.
Drone incursions have already increased in India since a major drone attack at Jammu's Air Force Station on June 27, 2021.
Given that India has been fighting terrorist threats for years, security agencies have to constantly devise ways to counter terrorist infiltration by keeping up with the unconventional methods used by terrorists.
Details
Low-cost drones pose new challenges for conventional military hardware: Report
Another aspect of the Israel-Hamas conflict that has piqued Indian defense experts' interest is the use of low-cost drones to counter pricey military equipment, according to The Hindu.
In one case, a bomb dropped by a small drone reportedly destroyed an Israeli Merkava Mark IV tank, which cost over $3 million. Tanks are usually heavily armored on all sides but are more vulnerable from above.
This reportedly underscored India's need to adjust its defense strategies to counter emerging threats.
What Next?
Emergency procurements focus on drone and counter-drone systems
With the growing use of drones in conflicts worldwide, including the war in Ukraine, the Indian armed forces have reportedly made it a priority to acquire drones, swarm drones, and counter-drone systems.
Recent emergency procurements by the three defense services have seen significant acquisitions in these categories, per reports.
This is also in response to the increasing use of drones for dropping arms and ammunition across the international border with Pakistan in Jammu.
Insights
Israel-Hamas war enters day 7, over 3,000 killed
The Israel-Hamas war entered its seventh day on Saturday, with Israeli forces claiming to have launched overnight strikes, destroying dozens of sites linked to Hamas.
Following the Hamas's missile attack on Saturday, Israel began attacking the Gaza Strip, dropping around 6,000 bombs till Thursday.
More than 3,000 people have died and many have been injured in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.