Chinese firm had made drone shot down in Pakistan

A drone that was shot down in Pakistan has been identified as having been made in China, a state-run daily said Saturday. This is exactly what India had said.

The drone was "recognized in Beijing as the Chinese-made DJI phantom 3", the People's Daily reported, citing the Shanghai-based Observer website.

The Phantom 3 Advanced represents the most intelligent, most powerful, and most accessible drone to date, the report said.

The drone sells for $1,200.

DJI is a Chinese technology company founded in 2006 by Frank Wang and headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong. It manufactures commercial and recreational unmanned aerial vehicles for aerial photography and videography.

Pakistan on July 15 said an "Indian spy drone" was shot down by its army along the Line of Control in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. India denied the claim, saying no such drone crashed or was shot down.

Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations -- the military's media wing -- said the drone was equipped with a camera and was taking photos. It was shot down in Bhimbher sector along the Line of Control (LoC), it said.

A spokesperson of the Indian Army, however, said: "Some reports of a drone crash in PoK are being referred to. No drone or UAV crash of the Indian Army has taken place."

A day later, India said the drone Pakistan shot down and alleged to be belonging to India was a Chinese one available off the shelf.

"We have seen the pictures. It looks like a Chinese drone, available off the shelf. It is not of Indian design, not of any unmanned aerial vehicle category held in Indian inventory," Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar had said.

Islamabad had summoned Indian High Commissioner T.C.A. Raghavan and registered a protest over what it called a violation of its airspace by an Indian 'drone'. - IANS