November 21, 2015:   India recently announced the deployment of Indian designed and manufactured remotely controlled machine-guns. These weapons, with an assist from by day and night sensors, are used to deal with Islamic terrorists sneaking in from Pakistan in northwestern India (along the Kashmir border). Israel, which has become a major supplier of weapons and military equipment to India, was not mentioned. That is odd as Israel deployed such a system along the Gaza border in 2005. These Sentry-Tech pillbox towers were developed in 2004. They are unmanned armored towers that are about 4.6 meters (15 feet) tall and two meters (six feet) in diameter. At the top of the tower is an armored shelter that conceals a remotely controlled machine-gun. This technology is similar to the remotely controlled machine-gun systems used for many armored vehicles. The tower also contains vidcams, and other sensors. The remotely controlled machine-gun has a vidcam that can see at night and the ability to enlarge and enhance the image. The day cameras can identify targets out to 2,500 meters while the night-vision cam can do so out 2,000 meters. Both cams have 12X zoom. In some cases a radar system is added in areas where sand storms or fog is a problem.

The operators are at a central location (and are mostly female soldiers) where they also monitor the sensors between towers. If intruders are detected one of the soldiers at the control center opens the top of the tower and brings out the machine-gun. The 12.7mm machine-gun has a range of 2,000 meters. Some towers use a 7.62mm machine-gun, with a range of 800 meters. Allowing for some overlap, 16-17 of these towers can cover the entire Gaza border. Dozens of Palestinian terrorists have been killed trying to reach the areas guarded by the towers, and many more fled when the remote control machine-guns opened up.

By 2010 Israel had automated much of the security along the Gaza border. Vidcams, with magnification and night vision capability, cover much of the border where Palestinian terrorists try to plant bombs next to Israeli patrol routes, or to try and get through the security fence. The Gaza security fence is not just a fence, but a network of obstacles and sensors for detecting Palestinian terrorists attempting to cross, or set up bombs for use against Israeli patrols. The Israeli border with Gaza is 51 kilometers long, and most of it is in desert or semi-desert terrain. For a long time, most of the border was patrolled by troops in vehicles, while parts of it, near gates, were also guarded by manned watchtowers. But the Palestinian terrorists have been persistent in attacking the fence, and trying to get through it. None have ever succeeded and survived. But the patrols were often attacked. One Israeli soldier was kidnapped in 2006 years ago, and some were killed each year. Most of these casualties no longer occurred once the automated system was in place.

The Indians must have been aware of the Israeli system and were probably approached by the manufacturer about some kind of sale. India could develop and build such a system itself but it could be done more quickly, effectively and cheaply with Israeli assistance.