Indian border guards reported spotting a drone spotted 100-150 metres inside Indian territory in the Arnia sector of Jammu and Kashmir late on Tuesday night. The UAV, or unmanned aerial vehicle, was spotted by India's Border Security Force personnel who opened fire, after which the drone disappeared for a while before returning, NDTV said quoting Indian officials.

A senior official told NDTV that UAVs were Pakistan's new "watchtowers" and were being used in abundance. The official also said it was at a height of 200 metres and well within Indian territory.

"When our alert troops fired it went back," the official said.

This wass the sixth sighting of a UAV, or unmanned aerial vehicle, in this area in the past 15 days, the website said. 

Last month a drone strike on a military facility at Jammu Airport, caused damage to the roof of a building in the technical section and minor injuries to two Indian Air Force personnel.

The terror attack on Jammu Airport - which is a dual-use facility under IAF control - has led to alerts being sounded across J&K and Ladakh, the official was quoted by NDTV as saying. 

Last month Lt General DP Pandey, Corps Commander of the 15 Corps in Srinagar, told NDTV the tech used in that attack indicated "state-support" and involvement of Pakistan-based Jaish and Lashkar.
 
Both the National Security Guard and the Indian Army are doing trial runs and tests of equipment to be used to counter drone threats. A senior government functionary said the Army has been "amping up its arsenal to acquire AI-equipped drones". (SAM)