Cracking the whip against domestic private sector companies that are using Chinese components in drones being supplied to the armed forces, the defence establishment has now scrapped three contracts for 200 medium-altitude, 100 heavy-weight and 100 light-weight logistics drones, with a total value of RS 230 Crore (USD 23M) for the induction of 400 logistics drones by the Army.
The Union government has scrapped three deals to procure 400 drones for the armed forces as the local private sector companies were using Chinese components in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Times of India reported.
The deals were signed in 2023 with a Chennai-based company.
“Unfortunately, some Indian companies are using Chinese components and electronics in the drones they are producing for the armed forces. This is a major cybersecurity threat, with the possibility of data security and operations being compromised,” the report quoted a source as saying.
“An adversary can seize control of a drone or `soft kill’ it through jamming. There may be a `backdoor’ in the electronics that bypasses security protection measures.”
The government is also considering stringent measures to ensure the defence drones do not have “any Chinese parts or electronics as well as malicious codes”,
The drones were primarily meant for deployment along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control with China.
The development comes after an incident in August 2024 came to light when an infantry unit deployed along the Line of Control lost control of a fixed-wing VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) UAV. The drone veered into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
“An investigation was conducted into the incident. The drone manufacturer was also called for it. It seems there was some technical glitch in the drone. The Army is using over 180 of these drones and the feedback about them is generally positive. The incident in August could be an aberration,” the report said quoting another source.
Sources: MIRROR NOW/ YouTube; mint;