India Cancels Contracts for 400 Drones With Chinese Parts Over Security Concerns

India has strictly prohibited its security agencies from using Chinese drones due to concerns over espionage threats, according to an expert.

An aerial drone sprays water mist, which is tasked with flying around the city's pollution hotspots to clear dust and harmful particulate matter from the air, in New Delhi, India, on Nov. 8, 2024. Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images

NEW DELHI—India has scrapped three contracts for 400 drones for its military because they included Chinese components, which an expert says could threaten the country’s defense.

The canceled contracts, worth $26 million (RS 230 crores), include those for 200 medium-altitude, 100 heavyweight, and 100 lightweight logistics drones, the Times of India reported on Feb. 7.

Pathikrit Payne, a senior fellow with the Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, a think tank affiliated with India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, confirmed the development with The Epoch Times.

“The government is concerned about the cyber vulnerability of India’s drones, primarily because of certain drones alleged to have Chinese components, and there are apprehensions about the issue of backdoor through which China can take control of drones bypassing the security architecture or protocol in place,” Payne said.

According to Payne, India has emerged as a significant drone manufacturer, and New Delhi aims to produce various critical components domestically as part of its incentivization or production-linked incentive scheme. This initiative also serves the interests of India’s national security.

“So the government is doing the right thing by creating an ecosystem that incentivizes and literally compels companies to not just assemble drones in India but to also source the components from India,” he said.

Chinese leader Xi Jinping wants to make China the leading superpower by 2049, and technological innovation is a major mission that contributes to this goal. Emilian Kavalski and Claris Diaz of the China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe (CHOICE), a multinational consortium of experts, wrote an analysis early this year about the national security risks posed by Chinese-manufactured drones.

Kavalski and Diaz said threats posed by Chinese drone technologies make it mandatory for nations to incorporate the related concerns in their national security policy and “rhetoric to address their vulnerabilities.”

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a report titled “Cybersecurity Guidance: Chinese-Manufactured UAS” early this year, which points out that any data collected by Chinese unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), or drones, can compromise “cybersecurity and physical security controls leading to potential physical effects such as theft or sabotage of critical assets.”

These drones, the report warns, can also expose “network access details that enhance the PRC’s capability to conduct cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure.”

According to Payne, India strictly prohibits its security agencies from using Chinese drones due to concerns over espionage threats. Additionally, it is intensifying its efforts to dissuade manufacturers from using components made in China, as these could pose a similar risk.

India has been implementing a multibillion-dollar incentive program for its electronics manufacturers to reduce their dependence on China. Last year, New Delhi added 15 more sectors to its initiative aimed at promoting manufacturing in India.

Payne previously told The Epoch Times that the Indian manufacturing sector and economy are encountering significant geopolitical challenges. These include the threat to national security posed by the Chinese regime’s access to data from electronics produced in China. He said New Delhi is well aware of this situation and is keen on promoting made-in-India products to counter the regime’s influence.