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The committees conducted multiple factory visits, where they physically and digitally stripped down each unit to independently verify the component origin, embedded security, and source authenticity, it pointed out.
The Indian Army has acquired hybrid mini unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems from ideaForge Technology at a cost of ₹137 crore after subjecting the leading UAV technology player through “a rare and rigorous validation process” to “double-verify the integrity and origin” of drones offered.
After a series of expose done by businessline since August 28, 2024, on the use of Chinese components by Indian UAV manufacturers that posed a threat to national security, the Army said that it has prepared a blueprint for security audit of drones before their acquisition.
businesline had published a report on April 17, stating that two companies of ideaForge — Rohal Technologies Pvt Ltd and Deftech & GreenIndia Pvt Ltd — were disqualified after technical evaluations revealed the use of Chinese parts in ‘Q6 V2’ UAVs the company had pitched for in the two tenders for 80 mini surveillance drones.
security implications
Owing to national security implications, RTI activist Tej Pratap Singh had sought action against the ideaForge for white labelling drones with Chinese parts and selling them as a complete home grown product.
On Monday, ideaForge officially stated that the hybrid mini UAV, a fixed-wing VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) platform, was selected through Emergency Procurement after undergoing a rigorous evaluation process that prioritised not just performance, but national security and supply chain integrity.
“A key requirement during the assessment was that all critical sub-components must be sourced from non-border-sharing nations, and that the platform be substantially indigenous in capability and design,” the company’s statement read.
In a rare and rigorous validation process, two independent high-power technical committees were constituted post-trials to double-verify the integrity and origin of mini UAV’s critical sub-components, ideaForge said.
The committees conducted multiple factory visits, where they physically and digitally stripped down each unit to independently verify the component origin, embedded security, and source authenticity, it pointed out.
ideaForge said that the “mini UAVs not only met this criterion but also demonstrated end-to-end indigenous capability, making it the preferred and trusted solution.”
Ankit Mehta, CEO, ideaForge Technology Ltd, said, “This emergency procurement for CI/CT operations, which will help safeguard national security, along with the military-use certification for Mini UAVs, reaffirms our commitment to building world-class, reliable UAVs in India…The trust placed in ideaForge by the Indian Army is both humbling and motivating, as we continue to push the boundaries of innovation and reliability in aerospace and defence technology.”
The UAVs, stated the private company, are already battle-tested by the Army during the Operation Sindoor for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) operations.
Published on June 23, 2025
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