Trump sons’ company to set up drone unit in Pakistan:3 sites selected; India has 4 factories ready, 3 under construction, 2 proposed

A company linked to US President Donald Trump’s sons, Power, is planning to set up a drone production unit in Pakistan. Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr’s company held a secret meeting with Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir in Murree. Three potential military sites have been selected for drone production in Pakistan — Haripur, Rawalpindi and Taxila. Suicide drones will be manufactured there. On September 16, an MoU was signed between Munir and Power for drone imports. According to sources, a Pakistan Army industrial unit will also be involved in production. Pakistani officials will travel to the US after October 15 to finalise the site for the unit. Pakistan currently buys drones from China and Türkiye. Türkiye has also signed an agreement with Pakistan for drone production. India has also been steadily increasing drone production after Operation Sindoor. Four factories are ready, three are under construction and two are proposed. Expert says it could threaten India: Understand how in 4 questions According to defence expert Avinash Mohanani, who has worked at the Indian Embassy in Pakistan, the drones to be manufactured in Pakistan could pose a challenge to India’s internal security. 1. What threat does the drone unit pose to us? Several weapons supplied to Pakistan by the US reach terrorists through the ISI. There have been several cases in Kashmir where US-made weapons were recovered from terrorists. These drones could pose a challenge to our internal security. 2. Why produce them in Pakistan? Pakistan was initially supposed to import drones from the US. However, production is now being planned because the company owned by Trump’s sons could use Pakistan to sell these drones to countries in Asia and Africa to which the US does not directly supply weapons. 3. Why did China approve the deal for Pakistan? China has major investments in Pakistan through CPEC. CPEC is crucial, but China is not getting the expected benefits from it. China has been unable to carry out mining operations in Balochistan and Khyber. In this situation, China approved the deal for Pakistan at Munir’s request. 4. Will Pakistan’s role increase? During Trump’s presidency, US agreements with Pakistan have increased across several sectors. The US also gave Pakistan a mediator’s role during the Iran war. The Trump family is involved in Pakistan’s cryptocurrency business. The US is expected to further expand Pakistan’s role. India fully prepared, has advanced anti-drone systems If Pakistan launches a drone attack in the future, India has systems such as an integrated counter-UAS grid and multi-layered air defence, which include radars, control centres, air defence guns and missile systems launched from the ground and air. During Operation Sindoor, on the night of May 7-8, 2025, Pakistan attempted to target several military installations in northern and western India with drones and missiles. These were neutralised by India’s integrated counter-UAS grid and air defence systems. According to the government, several air defence systems, including Akash, were activated during the operation. On May 10, a major drone and missile attack by Pakistan was also thwarted by Indian air defence, counter-drone and electronic systems. Trump sons’ investment firm to hold 9.9% stake According to Al Jazeera, Trump Jr and Eric Trump are investors in PowerUS through American Ventures. According to US regulatory filings, American Ventures is expected to hold a 9.9% beneficial stake in the company following PowerUS’s proposed merger. According to a spokesperson for Trump Jr, he is only a passive investor and has no role in the company’s operations or contracts. PowerUS had a deal with India before Pakistan PowerUS had also signed a deal in India before its agreement with Pakistan. In a June 30 filing, Paras Defence and Space Technologies said PowerUS had granted it an exclusive licence to manufacture and sell Guardian-1 drone interceptors in India. This means PowerUS’s drone technology is linked to both India and Pakistan. What agreement has Pakistan signed? According to PowerUS, the MoU signed with Pakistan is not a final agreement. It does not create any obligation to make purchases and is subject to US laws and government approval. The company has also said it is working on ways to manufacture its technology in Pakistan. The September 16 meeting discussed defence procurement, production and capacity expansion.