Indian Army Sets Up AASHVAST Lab for Drone Security

Key facts

• The Indian Army has launched AASHVAST Labs to identify hidden vulnerabilities in military drones, defence electronics, and critical digital systems.
• AASHVAST stands for Assessment and Analysis of Electronic Systems Hardware for Vulnerabilities and Security Threats.
• The initiative was inaugurated by Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth in Delhi and aims to improve cyber resilience and operational readiness.
• The facility can inspect hardware and software components used in drones, communication systems, sensors, and other defence equipment.
• AASHVAST can identify hidden passwords, embedded digital keys, unauthorized remote-access tools, and suspicious software features.
• The labs can help identify Chinese or other foreign-linked components inserted during manufacturing, maintenance, or supply-chain processes.
• AASHVAST evaluates whether drone systems can resist cyberattacks, GPS spoofing, signal jamming, and hidden software threats.
• The initiative supports India's defence modernisation and indigenisation goals by building a secure and self-reliant defence ecosystem.