Chandigarh: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab chief spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal has accused the Centre of failing to adequately address cross-border drug and weapons smuggling along Punjab’s international border with Pakistan. Dhaliwal said the Punjab government has repeatedly asked the Centre to strengthen border surveillance, install anti-drone systems and take steps to prevent illegal crossings and smuggling.
His remarks came amid a renewed political debate over Punjab’s drug problem and the responsibilities of the state and Central governments.
Dhaliwal Raises Border Security Issue
Dhaliwal said Punjab shares a 532-kilometre international border with Pakistan and alleged that drones are being used to transport drugs and weapons across the border.
He argued that border security is primarily the responsibility of the Central government and said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has repeatedly requested stronger surveillance and anti-drone measures.
According to Dhaliwal, the Centre should strengthen monitoring along the border, expand anti-drone capabilities and take effective measures to disrupt cross-border smuggling networks.
Centre’s Role in Border Security
The issue has become part of a wider political dispute over responsibility for Punjab’s drug problem.
Dhaliwal said the Punjab government is taking action within its jurisdiction against drug trafficking, while security along the international border falls under the Centre’s responsibilities. He accused the Central government of not acting sufficiently on the state’s requests.
However, government records show that the Centre has already taken several measures against drone-based smuggling. In a 2023 parliamentary response, the Ministry of Home Affairs said anti-drone systems had been deployed in Punjab’s border areas, alongside border fencing, floodlights, surveillance equipment, intelligence coordination and other measures.
This means the current disagreement is partly about the extent and effectiveness of existing anti-drone and border-security measures, rather than whether any such systems exist at all.
Drones and Drug Smuggling
Drone activity has remained a security concern along the Punjab-Pakistan border.
In July 2026, The Tribune reported that Punjab Police had deployed three anti-drone systems covering about 210 kilometres of the border as an additional layer of defence alongside the Border Security Force (BSF). The report said officials reported the recovery of hundreds of drones and significant quantities of heroin between 2025 and July 2026.
The developments illustrate the continuing challenge posed by unmanned aerial vehicles in cross-border smuggling.
Political Debate Over Drug Trafficking
Dhaliwal’s latest comments were also connected to a broader political argument involving the BJP, Shiromani Akali Dal and the AAP government in Punjab.
He has questioned the BJP over drug consignments seized in Gujarat and argued that drug trafficking should be addressed across interstate supply chains rather than focusing exclusively on Punjab. These are political allegations made by Dhaliwal and the AAP, rather than independent findings establishing responsibility for all drug flows into Punjab.
Opposition leaders have, in turn, criticised both the Punjab government and the Centre over the continuing drug problem. Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring has questioned the Centre’s approach to the issue, while Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa has argued that both levels of government need to address their respective responsibilities.
Punjab’s Own Anti-Drone Measures
The debate over responsibility is not new.
In June 2025, The Indian Express reported that Dhaliwal had said the Punjab government was installing its own anti-drone system after what he described as the Centre’s failure to meet the state’s requests. He said the state had allocated funds for the system.
More recent reports indicate that Punjab has since expanded its own aerial surveillance and counter-drone capabilities.
What Dhaliwal Wants
Dhaliwal has called for:
- Stronger surveillance along the Punjab-Pakistan border.
- Additional anti-drone systems.
- Measures to prevent drugs and weapons from being dropped inside Punjab.
- Greater coordination between central and state security agencies.
- Continued action against drug-trafficking networks operating inside the state.
He has also maintained that anyone found involved in drug trafficking should face action under the law.
Border Security and Drug Fight Remain Linked
The latest statements highlight how Punjab’s drug crisis has increasingly become linked to questions surrounding border security and drone-based smuggling.
While Dhaliwal has argued that the Centre must do more to secure the international border, official records show that the BSF and Central agencies have already implemented fencing, surveillance and anti-drone measures. The continuing deployment of additional systems by Punjab Police suggests that authorities at both levels are treating drone-based smuggling as an ongoing security challenge.
The political debate is therefore likely to continue around who is responsible for different parts of the supply chain, whether existing border measures are sufficient, and how effectively Central and state agencies are coordinating to prevent drugs and weapons from entering Punjab.
