The Indian government has cancelled three contracts to procure 400 defence drones due to security concerns over the inclusion of Chinese components. The contracts, valued at over ₹230 crore, were with a Chennai-based company and included 200 medium-altitude, 100 heavy-weight, and 100 light-weight logistics drones. These drones were intended for deployment along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

The presence of Chinese components in the drones raised alarms about potential cybersecurity threats, including data leaks and cyber vulnerabilities. Chinese-made parts could contain malware or backdoors that could lead to leaks of sensitive defence information. There is concern that adversaries could seize control of the drones or compromise their operations through “backdoor” access points.

The cancelled contracts encompassed 200 medium-altitude drones, 100 heavy-weight drones, and 100 light-weight logistics drones.

The defence establishment is implementing stricter mechanisms to ensure that future military drone acquisitions are free of Chinese parts, electronics, and malicious code. This includes more comprehensive certifications from drone manufacturers.

There have been instances of operational failures in UAV deployments for ISR missions along the borders with China and Pakistan. In one case, an infantry unit lost control of a UAV, which then veered into Pakistan-occupied J&K. Adversaries could seize control of drones through jamming or exploit backdoors in the electronics to bypass security measures.

“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 report said.

This move aligns with India’s “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative to promote self-reliance in defence manufacturing and reduce reliance on foreign technology. The focus is shifting towards domestically manufactured drones, with investments in various types of drones to bolster defence capabilities.

Agencies