New York: John Spencer, a leading U.S. warfare expert and chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute, has praised India’s D4 anti-drone system, calling it “an impressive counter drones system” after its successful deployment during recent hostilities with Pakistan. According to Spencer, the Indian system played a critical role in neutralising a large-scale drone swarm, including Turkish-made UAVs, launched from across the border.
“The U.S. needs effective, to include cost-effective, counter-droned on our U.S. Southern Border,” Spencer wrote on X, highlighting India’s D4 as a benchmark for similar systems worldwide.
His remarks come amid increasing international focus on India’s defense innovations, especially following the country’s limited but strategically significant conflict with Pakistan, known as Operation Sindoor. The Indian campaign was launched in retaliation to a terror attack in Pahalgam and involved strikes against high-value terror infrastructure inside Pakistan, coupled with a robust defense against retaliatory incursions, including coordinated drone attacks.
The D4 system—short for Detect, Deter, and Destroy—was developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL). It is engineered to neutralize a spectrum of aerial threats, ranging from micro UAVs to armed drones. The system incorporates electronic jamming, spoofing technologies, and potentially laser-based kill mechanisms, providing a layered defense architecture against hostile drones.
Ravi Ranjan, a user on X, brought global attention to the system’s battlefield performance by posting: “India’s D4 Anti-Drone System is now in the global spotlight. After its stellar performance in neutralizing threats during the Pakistan conflict (during Operation Sindoor), the world is taking notice. Made in Bharat. Trusted in battle. Feared by enemies.”
Previously, Spencer had lauded India’s military strategy, noting, “India was successful in hitting across Pakistan and defending itself successfully, including against Pakistani drone attacks and high-speed missiles.” He emphasized the clarity of India’s message: “It can hit anywhere in Pakistan anytime.”
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He also described Operation Sindoor as “the inflection point in the war on terror” and urged military strategists around the world to study its tactical execution. “India’s message was clear: We don’t want war but will punish terror without escalation,” Spencer said.
Further commending India’s calculated military response, Spencer remarked, “After just four days of calibrated military action, it is objectively conclusive: India achieved a massive victory. This was not symbolic force. It was decisive power, clearly applied.”
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Spencer also criticized Pakistan’s post-conflict media tactics, stating that the country relied on a “first to lie” approach to influence international narratives. “Like we have seen in Gaza, fact-checking has become a lost standard. All in the name of being ‘first,’” he posted on X.
Backing India’s broader strategic posture, including its decision to suspend the Indus Water Treaty, Spencer urged Western policymakers to move beyond the “both-side-ism” approach in dealing with terrorism.
