India Blocks Chinese Components in Military Drones

India has recently prohibited domestic manufacturers of military drones from using components made in China due to security concerns. As India aims to modernize its military using unmanned quadcopters and autonomous platforms, the government fears that Chinese-made drone parts could compromise intelligence-gathering capabilities. The ban on Chinese parts has increased costs for manufacturing military drones locally as manufacturers have to find alternative sources for components. India's reliance on foreign manufacturers for certain drone types has also delayed producing indigenous drone systems. To fill technology gaps, India announced the purchase of 31 MQ-9 drones from the U.S. for over $3 billion. The Indian government aims to boost domestic manufacturing but recognizes the need for higher costs to achieve this goal.