India has implemented a ban on the utilisation of Chinese components in the production of military drones by domestic manufacturers, citing concerns related to security. A recent report from Reuters has revealed that this decision was reached following two rounds of deliberations with drone developers.

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In an exclusive interview with CNBC-TV18, Ankit Mehta, the CEO of ideaForge, expressed his approval of this action, emphasising that his company abstains from incorporating components originating from countries with shared land borders.

"Not using components which emanate from the land border connected countries is something which we have seen in various shades and forms in various opportunities already. This rule is also a part of many of our government polices other than military where there are certain restrictions on procurement and operations. So this rule has been there and it is definitely something that is welcome particularly when data security is concerned. We at ideaForge are not using any Chinese components. The country of origin of all our sub-systems is all outside the land border connected nations," Mehta said.

The Reuters report said that India's defense forces are apprehensive about the potential compromise of intelligence-gathering capabilities stemming from the use of components manufactured in China.

Mehta underscored that this policy adjustment will not have any adverse effects on the cost or timely delivery of drones produced by his company. He went on to clarify that this strategic shift ensures the primacy of national interests.

Watch video for entire discussion.

(Edited by : Pradeep John)

First Published:Aug 8, 2023 6:28 PM IST