In the early hours of June 26, 2021, two consecutive blasts rocked the highly fortified Indian Air Force station in Jammu. This was the first terror attack in which drones were used to airdrop bombs on a major security installation. Though the explosions caused no serious damage, the attack reflected a paradigm shift in the tactics of Pakistan-based terror groups: the threat had moved from the ground to the air, rendering traditional security measures permanently inadequate. The use of drones, however, had already been a regular feature across the restive Line of Control and International Border in J&K for over a year. One such drone, carrying a US-made M4 semi-automatic carbine, two magazines, 60 rounds and seven Chinese grenades, was shot down by the BSF near Kathua district’s Rathua village on June 20, 2020. The payload was reportedly marked with the name of Ali Bhai — believed to be a code name for a Jaish-e-Mohammad operative.…