Congress leader Rahul Gandhi came under sharp criticism for using \”banned Chinese drones\” to attack the Indian government over its policies on unmanned aerial vehicles. Industry experts argued that his remarks \”unfairly undermine India’s growing drone sector\” 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), according to a report in The Indian Express. The report 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. It 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?\” asked Smit Shah, president of the Drone Federation of India.
