Login

The Indian Army recently inaugurated the first of its six AASHVAST Labs in Delhi. An acronym for Assessment and Analysis of Electronic Systems Hardware for Vulnerabilities and Security Threats, AASHVAST Labs aim to examine firmware in drones and cameras for hidden code and backdoor entry mechanisms. This endeavour follows a rapid expansion in Army drone acquisitions and concerns over Chinese-origin components. In 2020, the Army operated significantly fewer platforms compared to the plethora of drones in service as of 2026, fuelled by the large-scale emergency procurements after Operation Sindoor. The big question for the militarys drone capability is not how many platforms the services can now operate, but whether their actual requirements have been defined and if inducted systems have been verified.