The Indian defence establishment is in the final stages of finalizing a critical policy framework designed to secure military drones from electronic vulnerabilities. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, Director General of Acquisition A Anbarasu stated that the framework is undergoing final inter-ministerial consultations, including with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. Anbarasu indicated that the policy is expected to be released within a month, with an outer limit of the end of the current year.
This framework, formally titled the “Framework for Testing Security Vulnerabilities in Drones,” was initially published in March 2025. Its development followed a 2024 report by The Hindu BusinessLine that highlighted concerns regarding Chinese spare parts and components entering unmanned aerial vehicles acquired by the Indian armed forces. The Army Design Bureau, responsible for drafting the policy, resubmitted a revised version to the defence ministry more than three months ago after incorporating feedback from industry stakeholders and government bodies.
The urgency for this standardized architecture stems from the large-scale procurement of drones for diverse combat roles, ranging from intelligence and surveillance to kamikaze strikes. Industry sources noted that the Army is specifically seeking drones that are resilient in contested electronic warfare environments. These systems are technically referred to as Electronic Counter-Countermeasure enabled drones, which require software capable of being upgraded for enhanced security at a later stage. Without a unified standard, different military units apply their own security protocols, potentially creating interoperability challenges during joint operations.
The proposed framework mandates more than 20 tests conducted by accredited laboratories to ensure that indigenous drones meet specific security benchmarks. The policy is a modified version of the international OSWASP 4.0 standard, which focuses on testing for evidence of vulnerabilities in devices. The final draft is currently being vetted by the Defence Secretary, RK Singh, before its official release.
Once implemented, the policy will govern the entire acquisition lifecycle, from the initial request for information to the request for proposal and post-contract management. Testing responsibilities will be shared among STQC IT Services, the Electronic Testing and Development Centre in Bangalore, and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. This structured approach aims to ensure that only genuine indigenous drones meeting rigorous security standards are manufactured and deployed for Indian defence forces.