Army Sets Up Six Cyber Labs To Detect Hidden Flaws In Military Drones

The Army is setting up six cyber laboratories under the AASHVAST initiative to spot hidden flaws in drones and tighten the security of its electronic systems. The push comes amid concerns over Chinese-origin components in military equipment and drones deployed along India’s eastern borders.

One lab has already opened in Delhi, with at least five more planned nationwide. The facilities will first focus on drones. CCTV cameras procured by the Army are expected to come under screening in a later phase.

How AASHVAST Works

QuickPay Pvt Ltd built AASHVAST for the Directorate General of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers. It will examine firmware and embedded systems, not just physical parts.

The platform can detect about 14 types of flaws. These range from concealed code and commands that could affect a drone’s operation to faults tied to location or time that may disrupt missions in certain places or at specific moments.

It can also detect embedded passwords, encryption keys and remote-access tools. The screening is meant to catch malfunctions that could prevent a UAV from reaching its designated destination or completing its mission.

Procurement And Rollout

The Army issued a request for proposal in April this year to procure customised licensed software for firmware and embedded-system validation.

The screening drive will also cover future CCTV camera purchases. It will test proprietary protocols and embedded technologies for weak points, including systems tied to foreign origins.

Chinese Component Concerns

India has previously restricted the use of Chinese-origin parts by domestic military drone manufacturers over national security and data-security concerns.

In 2025, the Army Design Bureau submitted a framework to the Ministry of Defence aimed at eliminating Chinese-origin components from UAVs. The AASHVAST laboratories are expected to add another layer of scrutiny by examining not just where a component was purchased, but also its actual origin and what may be embedded within it.

The aim is to make systems harder to breach, cut the chance of outside interference and keep military platforms reliable in contested settings. The move also fits India’s drive for greater self-reliance in defence technology under the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.