Bangladesh has signed an agreement with China to locally manufacture drones, a development being viewed as a potential security concern for India.
According to Bangladesh’s Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the agreement was finalised under a government-to-government framework between the two countries.
The deal includes drone production, the establishment of assembly facilities, and the transfer of technology.
Under the agreement, the Bangladesh Air Force and CETC International will jointly set up state-of-the-art drone manufacturing and assembly facilities within Bangladesh, ISPR said.
The project will involve technology transfer, capacity building, enhancement of industrial skills, and joint technical cooperation, with the aim of achieving long-term self-reliance in drone manufacturing.
In the initial phase, the Bangladesh Air Force will acquire the capability to produce and assemble various types of Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drones and Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) drones.
In addition, the project will enable the Bangladesh Air Force to locally develop and manufacture its own drone designs.
The drones will be used not only for military operations but also for humanitarian assistance and disaster response.
