According to the Times of India, the Indian government has canceled three deals to procure 400 drones for the Indian military due to the use of Chinese components by local private companies in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The cancelled contracts include 200 medium-altitude drones, 100 heavy drones and 100 light logistics drones with a total value of more than INR 2.3 billion, the report said.
It is reported that the deals were signed in 2023 with a company in Chennai, a city in southeastern India. The Times of India quoted a source as saying, "Unfortunately, some Indian companies use Chinese components and electronics in UAVs produced for the Indian Armed Forces." This is a major cybersecurity threat, with the potential to compromise both data security and operations."
"An adversary can seize control of the drone or by jamming the 'soft kill' drone," the source added. There may be 'back doors' in electronic devices that can bypass security safeguards." The Indian government is also considering strict measures to ensure that the defense drones are free of "any Chinese components or electronic devices and malicious code," the report said.
These drones are mainly deployed along the 3,488-kilometer-long Line of Actual Control with China. In August last year, an Indian Army unit deployed along the Line of Actual Control lost control of a fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing drone. The drone entered Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
The report, citing another source, said, "An investigation has been launched into the incident." Manufacturers of the drones involved were also involved in the investigation. It seems that the drone has some technical glitches. More than 180 of these drones are being used by the Indian Army, and feedback on them has been generally positive. The events of August may be an isolated case."
India's Ministry of Defense has also asked industry bodies the Confederation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Association of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (ASSOCHAM) to "pay attention and remind" their member companies not to procure Chinese drones and other defense-related equipment components.
