Pakistan appears to be steadily expanding its Electronic Warfare (EW) and Electronic Support Measures (ESM) presence along the Indian frontier, with recent satellite imagery pointing to new deployments and infrastructure.

At Dadyal in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, possible EW and ESM equipment has been identified just 33 kilometres from the Line of Control.

The imagery suggests the presence of associated support infrastructure, indicating that this could be a forward-positioned electronic surveillance node. Such a deployment would allow Pakistan to monitor Indian military activity across the LoC with greater precision and persistence.

At the Pakistan Air Force Base Sindhri in Mirpur Khas, satellite imagery has revealed possible EW and ESM equipment positioned near hardened aircraft shelters.

The facilities in this sector appear to support Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) and Signals Intelligence functions, pointing to a broader integration of electronic warfare into Pakistan’s air operations. Sindhri’s location in Sindh gives Pakistan a vantage point for monitoring Indian Air Force activity in western India.

The bigger picture emerging from these developments is Pakistan’s effort to make EW a central pillar of its air warfare doctrine. This includes both ground-based systems and airborne platforms. Pakistan has already invested in Chinese-origin jamming systems, airborne early warning aircraft, and ELINT platforms, and these new ground deployments suggest a layered approach to electronic warfare.

By combining surveillance nodes near the LoC with base-level ELINT infrastructure, Islamabad is attempting to create a networked electronic warfare grid.

Electronic warfare is increasingly seen as decisive in modern conflicts, where disrupting communications, radar, and navigation systems can tilt the balance in air combat.

Pakistan’s push to expand its EW footprint comes against the backdrop of India’s own investments in indigenous electronic warfare programs, including DRDO-developed systems and integration of EW suites on frontline aircraft such as the Su-30MKI and Rafale.

India has also deployed ground-based electronic warfare systems along sensitive sectors of the LoC and LAC.

The expansion of Pakistan’s EW deployments near the Indian frontier therefore signals a sharpening of the electronic battlespace. It reflects Islamabad’s intent to contest India’s technological edge and to prepare for scenarios where electronic dominance could prove decisive.

For New Delhi, these developments underscore the need to accelerate indigenous EW programs, strengthen counter-ESM capabilities, and ensure that its air defence and surveillance networks remain resilient against electronic disruption.

Agencies