India Eyes Global Drone Market Share Amidst Growing Concerns Over Chinese DJI Dominance

India is positioning itself to become a major player in the global drone market, aiming to challenge the long-standing dominance of Chinese tech giant DJI. This move comes amidst growing concerns over security and data privacy related to DJI's products.

Industry experts predict the global drone market will soar to $50 billion by 2025, fueled by diverse applications across agriculture, infrastructure, logistics, and more. India, with its vast agricultural sector and expanding infrastructure needs, presents a lucrative market for drone technology.

However, security concerns surrounding DJI's alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party have raised alarms worldwide. These concerns have intensified the demand for a reliable and independent alternative, prompting India to seize the opportunity to develop its own drone industry.

A thriving Indian drone sector would not only reduce the nation's reliance on Chinese technology but also bolster national security and foster self-reliance in critical areas. Additionally, increased competition could spur innovation, leading to more advanced and affordable drone solutions for consumers and businesses alike.

The Indian government, along with private investors, is playing a pivotal role in nurturing the nascent drone industry. Investments in research and development, coupled with supportive policies, are expected to accelerate the growth of Indian drone startups.

While challenges remain, including bridging the technological gap with established players like DJI, the Indian drone industry is poised for significant growth. As the demand for drones continues to rise, India's entry into the market could reshape the landscape and usher in a new era of innovation and competition.

 

[Itachi]

Importing Chinese parts to fly so called indian made drones to challenge Chinese Dji's drones? 🤣🤣🤣

 

[PKPRS]

DJI drones and Active camera’s all use Sony lens, so we could also do this getting components from Japan and make drones and compete in the consumer arena, there is a huge market for drones, all we need to do is make it for half the price.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

I don't know how that would be possible in the immediate future. We do not have any such capability to address the Supply-chain of micro-engineered parts.

Where will such an organization source ultra-miniature brusheless motors for the drones.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

I don't know how that would be possible in the immediate future. We do not have any such capability to address the Supply-chain of micro-engineered parts.

Where will such an organization source ultra-miniature brusheless motors for the drones.

the supply chain is coming up. Also, indian govt has set up a drone policy (subsidies) to encourage domestic drone production. The domestic drone demand itself is huge in India, that will be a driver for growth, just like how domestic EV demand and govt subsidies led to the initial growth of EV industry in China.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

the supply chain is coming up. Also, indian govt has set up a drone policy (subsidies) to encourage domestic drone production. The domestic drone demand itself is huge in India, that will be a driver for growth, just like how domestic EV demand and govt subsidies led to the initial growth of EV industry in China.

Comparing graph of EV demand in China and applying to India is a futile exercise.

China is not only more industrialized, but also much more centealized.

When CCP wants something, it gets it, not like in India, where the Government is struggling to even get its Bullet Train start trial run and that too on a much smaller scale than the Chinese.

The most successful Indian manufacturing sector in India is that of Pharmacy products. And guess what, 70% of the active ingredients taht go into all medicines made in India, are imported from, you guessed it, China.

 

[Apocalypse gupta]

Comparing graph of EV demand in China and applying to India is a futile exercise.

China is not only more industrialized, but also much more centealized.

When CCP wants something, it gets it, not like in India, where the Government is struggling to even get its Bullet Train start trial run and that too on a much smaller scale than the Chinese.

The most successful Indian manufacturing sector in India is that of Pharmacy products. And guess what, 70% of the active ingredients taht go into all medicines made in India, are imported from, you guessed it, China.

this govt is closely following Chinese model of development and growth. The same investment led growth model, with focus on infra structure. The example of bullet train that you quoted is a very specific one. The situations are very different between the 2 countries. China is much much more urbanised than india and also has much greater GDP per capita. Also, cost of land acquisition is much lower in China. Thus bullet trains make much more sense in China.

15 years ago, the EV industry in china was in a very nascent stage. But now they are world leader, because they focused heavily on it. It was the same with Japan. In 1980s and 90s they became world leaders in IC engine tech.

This govt has a policy on green hydrogen, it thinks that India can do for green hydrogen what china did for EVs.

 

[Akshat]

Importing Chinese parts to fly so called indian made drones to challenge Chinese Dji's drones? 🤣🤣🤣

The final brand is what matters.

 

[Bhishma]

Its a futile exercise. Focus instead on building a complete drone with all parts made in India. China is flooding the world with its slave labour produced cheap $hit. Its pointless to compete in the consumer space. (May be buy a huge stock pile and keep it ready for war). For defence focus on self sufficiency.

Focus on the software. There are plenty of unsolved software problems in the drone space. Figure out how to integrate whatever DeepMind is doing into drones.

 

[Ysmir Rewari]

Importing Chinese parts to fly so called indian made drones to challenge Chinese Dji's drones? 🤣🤣🤣

Chips in those drones come from Taiwan and South Korea. Not even China manufactures 100% indigenous products. One has to start somewhere!

 

[kumar]

3D printing can help in making drone designs competitive.

 

[Banjo Strings]

Importing Chinese parts to fly so called indian made drones to challenge Chinese Dji's drones? 🤣🤣🤣

Do what Hitachi?

 

[alok kumar]

Comparing graph of EV demand in China and applying to India is a futile exercise.

China is not only more industrialized, but also much more centealized.

When CCP wants something, it gets it, not like in India, where the Government is struggling to even get its Bullet Train start trial run and that too on a much smaller scale than the Chinese.

The most successful Indian manufacturing sector in India is that of Pharmacy products. And guess what, 70% of the active ingredients taht go into all medicines made in India, are imported from, you guessed it, China.

You are giving too much importance to the domestic environment of the two countries on their growth and less importance to the crucial period of foreign investment from countries like USA and others. China too did the miracle because of FDI starting from its proximity to USA after change in geopolitical landscape after 1970s. The ecosystem in India has started taking shape and it is progressing. Recently, China has the brought unnecessary attention of world through its bullying behaviour making several nations uncomfortable or divided in opinion . Luckily, India still is not tied to any campaign that tightly and is more fluidic in making deal with different nations. What India needs is a peaceful growth, away from war for atleast 10-15 years. It should not delve too much into provoking China, neither should it takes insult hands down. The reaction to China's behaviour if rogue, should be calculated and limited and the progress should be less dependent on Chinese tech .

 

[CCPSmasher]

Yeah, by importing Chinese motors and electrical boards LMAO

 

[Akshat]

Comparing graph of EV demand in China and applying to India is a futile exercise.

China is not only more industrialized, but also much more centealized.

When CCP wants something, it gets it, not like in India, where the Government is struggling to even get its Bullet Train start trial run and that too on a much smaller scale than the Chinese.

The most successful Indian manufacturing sector in India is that of Pharmacy products. And guess what, 70% of the active ingredients taht go into all medicines made in India, are imported from, you guessed it, China.

Firstly, regarding API. Import of API overall into India has actually fell last year thanks to the PLI. And even from China, the growth rate has come down from 19% to 1%, which is not even enough to offset inflation.

Secondly, regarding centralization. While it has its own benefits, it has its cons as well. Say, the vast ghost towns. Even in bullet trains, it is said that most of the lines in China are massively loss making, not even able to service their debts. These are all made to impress the central leadership but are not economically feasible. It happens sometimes in India too, but overall we trust the market forces more, which helps in the long run.

 

[Sandeep]

India won’t be able to manufacture and overtake China immediately and it will take time, effort, tax cut, production linked incentives and increasing import duty on foreign components to encourage indigenous manufacturing. We also need to make more trade deals with Europe, USA and Middle East countries. We need to export more to those countries on a large scale to flood the markets with Indian products.

 

[beencensured]

Comparing graph of EV demand in China and applying to India is a futile exercise.

China is not only more industrialized, but also much more centealized.

When CCP wants something, it gets it, not like in India, where the Government is struggling to even get its Bullet Train start trial run and that too on a much smaller scale than the Chinese.

The most successful Indian manufacturing sector in India is that of Pharmacy products. And guess what, 70% of the active ingredients taht go into all medicines made in India, are imported from, you guessed it, China.

There was a time when Indian pharma made most of its API's, but then government let dumping by China and so domestic API become too costly and so stopped production. GOI at those times did not pay attention to domestic industries.

 

[Roxo]

so you guys think that indian people would buy individual components of drones that are made in india? I don't think so and the companies that manufacture that individual parts would be difficult to thrive.

 

[alpha numeric]

Short answer, No. long answer, let's not humiliate ourselves by overestimating our capabilities like we have been doing for decades.

 

[alpha numeric]

Firstly, regarding API. Import of API overall into India has actually fell last year thanks to the PLI. And even from China, the growth rate has come down from 19% to 1%, which is not even enough to offset inflation.

Secondly, regarding centralization. While it has its own benefits, it has its cons as well. Say, the vast ghost towns. Even in bullet trains, it is said that most of the lines in China are massively loss making, not even able to service their debts. These are all made to impress the central leadership but are not economically feasible. It happens sometimes in India too, but overall we trust the market forces more, which helps in the long run.

Vast ghost towns. So you'd rather have a dysfunctional politico administrative system and a pathetic industrial and internationally uncompetitive technological and scientific space than empty apartments. This is what Americans call copium. Jerking off exclusively to market forces won't facilitate industrial development that fact that you believe that says that you either don't know or willfully obtuse to how countries like Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, S.Korea, Germany, Turkey, Israel and finally Chin Industrialized to their current standing. I suggest you read a book. Start with Vivek Chibber's work on why India failed at planning, read books on Park Chung He quite a few starting with one titled "Park Chung He Era", There is a book written on Zhu Rongji(can't recall the name), Li kuo Ting has written a book, another one on Taiwan titled "Global Taiwan" is a reasonable read, lots of article on jstor on how the Kuomintang turned to its Leninist roots post losing the mainland, The role of people like Fred Terman in setting up KAIST in Korea and Hsinchu Science Park in Taiwan. Instead of regurgitating Anglo liberal f3tishes you might wanna study the Rhine and East Asia in equal measure and pick and choose the necessary sacrifices needed to make and further a nation's industrial, technological and scientific ascendance, which is never a destination but a perpetual journey.

 

[alpha numeric]

this govt is closely following Chinese model of development and growth. The same investment led growth model, with focus on infra structure. The example of bullet train that you quoted is a very specific one. The situations are very different between the 2 countries. China is much much more urbanised than india and also has much greater GDP per capita. Also, cost of land acquisition is much lower in China. Thus bullet trains make much more sense in China.

15 years ago, the EV industry in china was in a very nascent stage. But now they are world leader, because they focused heavily on it. It was the same with Japan. In 1980s and 90s they became world leaders in IC engine tech.

This govt has a policy on green hydrogen, it thinks that India can do for green hydrogen what china did for EVs.

Japan's efforts predate the 1980s. You are confusing Japanese and Chinese political systems with India's. That's the equivalent of comparing a Nexon EV to an Ambassador(any model). The fact that India is a federal democracy with dysfunctionaly useless regional states just underlines why India will NEVER match up to Malaysia let alone China. We would have to restructure our political system, strengthen our Central govt, cut down our state government's man power and tax collection abilities and redistribute their man power to municipal govts(look up the share of employees working in central, state and local Govt's in India, China and USA jstor has a free article from D Kapur about why Indian states fail and succeed). Unlike in other countries we need a stronger political central govt due to the prevalent diversity(China can afford economic federalism but it's constituent provincial Govt's are still answerable to the State Council) nd prevent parasitic secessionist strains

 

[alpha numeric]

India won’t be able to manufacture and overtake China immediately and it will take time, effort, tax cut, production linked incentives and increasing import duty on foreign components to encourage indigenous manufacturing. We also need to make more trade deals with Europe, USA and Middle East countries. We need to export more to those countries on a large scale to flood the markets with Indian products.

No more trade deals UNTIL AFTER we've built out our domestic industry.
Only a fool would force his under age kids into a cut throat job market with little to no skills. Don't be a fool.

 

[alpha numeric]

DJI drones and Active camera’s all use Sony lens, so we could also do this getting components from Japan and make drones and compete in the consumer arena, there is a huge market for drones, all we need to do is make it for half the price.

Image sensors make up one part of the drone. There a a lot of components not to mention manufacturing processes involved that are beyond the capabilities of most Indian companies and workers.

 

[alpha numeric]

Chips in those drones come from Taiwan and South Korea. Not even China manufactures 100% indigenous products. One has to start somewhere!

Even if they somehow manage to produce 50% of the component we are still irrelevant.

 

[alpha numeric]

Its a futile exercise. Focus instead on building a complete drone with all parts made in India. China is flooding the world with its slave labour produced cheap $hit. Its pointless to compete in the consumer space. (May be buy a huge stock pile and keep it ready for war). For defence focus on self sufficiency.

Focus on the software. There are plenty of unsolved software problems in the drone space. Figure out how to integrate whatever DeepMind is doing into drones.

The Chinese stopped using slave labor a decade or so ago. If China uses slave labor, what would we call ours ? Don't just randomly spew out idiotic bs to make ourselves feel good. Their so called "slave labor" or if you arent a sanctimonious idiot, disciplined labor is exactly what India lacks, Their employees have consistently benefitted from wage rises(though falling tfr has cost them very dearly) and their productivity growth and automation figures would blow your illiterate mind, we should be learning from them and stealing their tech whenever and wherever possible not grandstanding on our pathetic molehills. Stop salivating over the praise we might receive from the Anglos for shitting on China, Do to China what China did to the West, That's real nationalism. You lot lack imagination.

 

[Sandeep]

No more trade deals UNTIL AFTER we've built out our domestic industry.
Only a fool would force his under age kids into a cut throat job market with little to no skills. Don't be a fool.

You can pursue both at the same time. We are already manufacturing drones and selling it around the world. Also designing and manufacturing drones isn’t a no skill job because there is a variety in the type we develop and make and for what purpose.

 

[Pad UwU]

DJI drone technology is advance especially in civilian use nor multi purpose.... India is still in infancy and can't compete of its own.... If we want a drone industry we should totally ban DJI or let them flood the market while we reverse engineering and studying it😹...

plus one of the main key factor is India doesn't have reliable semiconductor nodes/ foundry...

we already had tons of software engineer here... We just need $$$$ for funding it

 

[Pad UwU]

India won’t be able to manufacture and overtake China immediately and it will take time, effort, tax cut, production linked incentives and increasing import duty on foreign components to encourage indigenous manufacturing. We also need to make more trade deals with Europe, USA and Middle East countries. We need to export more to those countries on a large scale to flood the markets with Indian products.

India can also rally our commonwealth cousin's around the globe too to promote inter trade

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

The final brand is what matters.

Wake me up when Micromax or Lava become Mobile Making behemoths by assembling from components made in China.

oh, sorry.

I remember now - both Micromax and Lava mobiles are dead brands today.

Reason - No captive R&D to set their products apart in a cut-throat competitive and over saturated mobile market.

well.

perhaps, brand alone does not matter.

 

[Bhishma]

The Chinese stopped using slave labor a decade or so ago. If China uses slave labor, what would we call ours ? Don't just randomly spew out idiotic bs to make ourselves feel good. Their so called "slave labor" or if you arent a sanctimonious idiot, disciplined labor is exactly what India lacks, Their employees have consistently benefitted from wage rises(though falling tfr has cost them very dearly) and their productivity growth and automation figures would blow your illiterate mind, we should be learning from them and stealing their tech whenever and wherever possible not grandstanding on our pathetic molehills. Stop salivating over the praise we might receive from the Anglos for shitting on China, Do to China what China did to the West, That's real nationalism. You lot lack imagination.

lol. you have consistently pushed CCP agenda. give this wumao a raise. fking china is heading towards bankruptcy, soon your country will join your all weather friend and run around with begging bowls. fking wumaos will be the first ones to be dragged in the streets and shot in the next revolution. enjoy.