Why does India ban the production of UAVs using equipment from China?

According to four unnamed Indian defense and industry officials, New Delhi recently banned domestic drone (UAV) manufacturers from using parts made in China due to security concerns.

Ấn Độ cấm sử dụng các bộ phận máy bay không người lái do Trung Quốc sản xuất

India has recently been restricting imports of UAVs with components manufactured by neighboring countries. (Source: Guardian)

The measures come amid rising tensions between the two neighbors in recent times, with New Delhi pursuing a military modernization program that will see increased use of quadcopters, long-endurance systems, and other autonomous platforms.

However, defense and industry officials in the country revealed that Indian officials are concerned about the possibility of China gathering intelligence through components manufactured in the UAV's communication functions, cameras, radio transmissions and operating software.

According to some tender documents, India has imposed additional import restrictions on surveillance UAVs since 2020. At two meetings in February and March to discuss UAV tenders, Indian military officials told potential bidders that equipment or spare parts from “countries sharing land borders with India will not be accepted for security reasons.”

Due to “security vulnerabilities” that compromised critical military data, New Delhi has called on suppliers to disclose the source of components when sourcing them for assembly.

In addition, another senior defense official of the country revealed that the above-mentioned neighboring countries were implicitly referring to China, and also commented that Indian industry has become dependent on the world's second-largest economy , despite concerns about cyber attacks.

Beijing, for its part, has denied any involvement in cyberattacks. Last week, China’s Ministry of Commerce announced that it would impose export controls on some UAVs and related equipment, but has yet to respond to India’s measures.

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