NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday came under sharp criticism for using “banned Chinese drones” to attack the Indian government over its policies on unmanned aerial vehicles.
The leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha released a video questioning the Indian government’s policies on drone technology, which sparked massive outrage from industry experts who argued that his remarks “unfairly undermine India’s growing drone sector”.
Smit Shah, president of the Drone Federation of India (DFI), criticised Gandhi for suggesting that India lacks a strong foundation in drone technology.
“When someone with significant responsibility picks up a Chinese drone and dismisses the entire industry, young people like me have to speak up,” he said.
Shah also highlighted that over 400 Indian companies, along with 40-50 drone component manufacturers, are working hard to develop the industry despite challenges.
Shah further pointed out that Gandhi’s handling of a DJI drone was problematic.
“DJI drones are banned in India, and seeing a leader use one while claiming that India lacks technological expertise is quite discomforting,” he added.
He also noted that India has made significant strides in drone adoption, with over three lakh villages mapped using drones for land records and 15,000 self-help groups receiving drones for various applications.
Smit also raised legal concerns about whether Gandhi had the necessary permissions to fly the drone, given that restricted zones require prior approvals.
“His residence and office likely fall under a restricted zone. Did he get the necessary clearance?” he questioned.
Mohandas Pai, former CFO of Infosys, also criticised Gandhi and said, “India is the 5th largest industrial manufacturing country globally today, 2nd largest steel producer, 3rd largest automobile producer, and 2nd largest mobile phone producer. Much of this has happened in the last 10 years.” He argued that Gandhi’s statements ignored India’s progress in various sectors.
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also responded to Gandhi’s video, calling it “misleading” and questioning why he was “flaunting a Chinese drone” when Indian startups are developing advanced drones.
Gandhi, in his video, asserted that India lacked a strong industrial base to manufacture high-quality drones and emphasised the need for a clear strategy to strengthen domestic production.
The Congress scion also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that he delivered “teleprompter speeches” without understanding modern technology like drones and artificial intelligence (AI).