Delhi has barred (on national security grounds) domestic drone producers from using Chinese parts, according to official documents seen by Reuters.
Officials are worried Beijing could exploit weaknesses in the drones’ cameras, radio transmission and software to gain access to Indian intel.
The move also comes as India seeks to reduce its reliance on imported military kit:
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- 🚀 Domestic production just crossed $12B for the first time, and
- 💸 Delhi aims to place $100B in domestic orders in the next decade.
Intrigue’s take: The Russo-Ukraine War has made clear that drones are key. So the global military drone market is projected to more than double to $36B by 2030.
Drones are cheap, effective, and easily deployable. And this is exactly why governments like India want to develop domestic advantages, while ringfencing them from rivals.
Also worth noting:
- China recently imposed export restrictions on drone tech on national security grounds, citing the Russo-Ukraine War.
- An India-China border clash in 2020 was their bloodiest encounter since 1967.