The Indian Army decided to cancel drone procurement contracts to safeguard national cybersecurity.
New Delhi: In a major development in procuring defence weapons, the Defence Ministry of India has cancelled three major contracts for the procurement of 400 logistics drones. The contracts were rejected due to security concerns as Chinese electronic components were used in the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). These components posed potential cybersecurity risks to Indian military operations.
Security Concerns
As per a report by Times Now citing defence sources, the Indian Army decided to cancel the contracts to safeguard national cybersecurity. The drones were intended to assist logistics operations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The total value of the contracts was approximately Rs 230 crore. The contracts included 200 mid-altitude, 100 heavy-weight, and 100 lightweight drones.
Risk of Data Breach
Defence experts showed concern that Chinese-made parts can potentially contain virus, bug or “backdoors that can lead to data leaks of sensitive defence information. “Some Indian companies were also using Chinese components, which made the issue even more concerning,” The Timesnow quoted a defence expert as saying.
Extra Vigilance After 2020 India-China Border Clash
The Indian Army is paying extra attention to the borders and also closely monitoring the use of Chinese components in defence equipment after the India-China border clash in April 2020 in eastern Ladakh, where soldiers of both the sides lost their lives.
Notably, the IAF has already dealt with operational failures in some drone missions.
Stricter Procurement Rules And Focus On Indigenous Drone Tech
The Army has established strict verification and certification procedures for acquiring drones. An official stated, “Comprehensive inspections will be conducted to confirm that the drones acquired do not contain any Chinese components or hidden malicious software.” India is now focusing on the development and acquisition of domestically produced drones, with the military investing in mini, micro, armed swarm drones, as well as long-endurance medium-altitude drones.
However, canceling the contract is seen as a crucial move by India towards strengthening its indigenous capability and reducing dependency on foreign technology.
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