Tekanpur (Madhya Pradesh) [India], September 25 (ANI) Border Security Force (BSF)-run Rustamji Institute of Technology (RJIT) here in Tekanpur recently established a drone lab advancing drone technology and defence preparedness with the help of its students on par with the technology being used in this sector by China, Turkey and Israel following Operation Sindoor.
The initiative follows lessons learned from Operation Sindoor, where the need to match global standards in drone warfare became evident.
Officials said the facility will enable students to work on cutting-edge projects in line with technological advancements being made by countries such as China, Turkey, and Israel. The lab is expected to focus on research in drone design, weaponisation, jamming systems, and integration of artificial intelligence in modern warfare applications.
Prashant Jain, Principal of the Rustamji Institute of Technology (RJIT), highlighted the institute’s growing role in advancing drone technology and defence preparedness during an interaction this week.
“RJIT was established for a noble cause after the Kargil War, and it remains unique as it is run by the Border Security Force (BSF). In fact, 50% of our seats are reserved for wards of BSF and other CAPFs. Under the leadership of ADG Dr Shamsher Singh, the institute recently inaugurated its own drone laboratory,” Jain said.
“The move comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor, which underscored the gaps in India’s drone preparedness compared to countries such as China, Turkey and Israel. The nature of warfare has changed. It is no longer limited to infantry; technology now dominates the battlefield. The Russia-Ukraine war has shown us that drones are central to modern combat, from surveillance to precision strikes, supported by radar and jamming systems,” he explained.
Jain noted that RJIT students working in the lab are deeply motivated, drawing inspiration both from their academic and family backgrounds. Data and insights from drones captured along the border are being integrated into training and research at the BSF’s School of Drone Warfare.
Looking ahead, the RJIT Principal said that the institute has drawn up a five-year plan focused on drone and automobile technologies, with future expansion into robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).
“From automobile engineering to drones is a new and challenging journey for us. We are acquiring advanced equipment so that students can learn how to design and develop indigenous drone technology,” he said.
RJIT is the first engineering college in India established by the BSF. Due to the bulk deployment of BSF personnel in far-flung border areas, militancy and Naxal-affected areas, the majority of the force personnel stay separated from their families and are unable to provide proper education to their wards.
RJIT was established with the objective of providing an opportunity for children of BSF and other Central Armed Police Forces personnel, as well as civilians, to acquire quality technical education. This institute was inaugurated on October 2, 1999, by Padma Vibhushan K F Rustamji himself.
The founding father of BSF as its first Director General, Late KF Rustamji, always had the larger interest of the troops deep in his heart. He always felt that the BSF personnel deployed in remote areas and those who laid down their lives in honour of the country, their wards, should be cared for in proper educational facilities. (ANI)
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