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India's new defence battle: Rooting out Chinese tech from its weapons

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

The heightened scrutiny stems from vulnerabilities where parts sourced from neighboring nations could disrupt sensitive military communications or shut down platforms during combat. Building on procurement restrictions enacted in 2020 and a 2023 ban on Chinese parts in domestic military drones, armed forces are setting up dedicated inspection hubs. Additionally, the government has accelerated indigenisation efforts through the SRIJAN portal to develop local substitutes for foreign-made hardware. Full decoupling remains a major hurdle because domestic manufacturers still depend on global supply chains for advanced processors and sensors.

Key points

  • National defence agencies are actively auditing hardware and software origins to eliminat…: National defence agencies are actively auditing hardware and software origins to eliminate critical security vulnerabilities in armed forces equipment.
  • Import substitution initiatives like the SRIJAN portal have successfully indigenised over…: Import substitution initiatives like the SRIJAN portal have successfully indigenised over 15,400 military items as of March 2026.
  • Achieving complete supply chain separation remains difficult due to continued reliance on…: Achieving complete supply chain separation remains difficult due to continued reliance on international suppliers for specialized processors and electronic sensors.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Supply chains have emerged as one of the most critical factors in determining a nation's ability to sustain a conflict. The availability of equipment, spare parts and essential components plays a crucial role in how a country prepares for war and maintains its military capabilities once fighting begins.

Recognising this vulnerability, the Defence Ministry is looking beyond the weapons and equipment it procures to examine what goes inside them, including those manufactured domestically. The government has moved beyond restricting direct imports to scrutinising the origins of electronics, software, sensors and critical subsystems fitted into Indian-built military platforms.

The concern is security. Components sourced from potentially hostile countries could be exploited to compromise communications, expose sensitive information or disrupt military operations. This effort to secure defence supply chains has gathered momentum since 2020.

The first major step came in July 2020, when the government amended the General Financial Rules to restrict public procurement from firms based in countries that share a land border with India. Bidders from these countries, including China, must register with a competent authority and obtain clearance before…

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