The Indian Army is strengthening the cybersecurity of its growing drone fleet through a specialised initiative called AASHVAST — Assessment and Analysis of Electronic Systems Hardware for Vulnerabilities and Security Threats. The Army plans to operate six AASHVAST laboratories across India, with one facility already inaugurated in New Delhi and additional labs planned in other locations.
Unlike conventional equipment inspections that primarily examine a drone's physical hardware, AASHVAST is designed to analyse firmware and embedded software running inside unmanned systems. This can help identify hidden or unused code, embedded passwords and encryption keys, remote-access mechanisms, and certain location- or time-triggered behaviours that could potentially affect a drone's operation. The system is reported to be capable of detecting around 14 categories of vulnerabilities.
The initiative is particularly significant because military drones are increasingly being used for surveillance, reconnaissance and other battlefield roles. Any weakness in their electronic or software components could create operational risks, making pre-deployment security testing increasingly important.
The programme is being implemented under the Army's Directorate General of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (DG EME), with the AASHVAST firmware-analysis and validation suite developed by QuickPay Pvt Ltd. The Army has also highlighted the initiative as part of its broader effort to improve cyber resilience and strengthen India's domestic defence ecosystem.
The screening programme is expected to eventually expand beyond drones to other electronic systems, including Army-procured CCTV equipment, adding another layer of security against potentially compromised components and software.
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