
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan reviewed four versions of a special bill for drone procurement on the 16th but reached no conclusion, leaving the measure pending further deliberation. The debate centered on how much of each drone should be made in Taiwan and whether production and storage sites should be spread across regions to protect combat capability.
Taiwan's legislature has moved toward stronger backing for drone research and production following a political shift in June, as the government seeks to close a capability gap in its defense buildup. The Executive Yuan had proposed an eight-year special defense budget of NT$1.25 trillion (US$38.7 billion), but the Legislative Yuan approved an opposition-backed version that capped spending at NT$780 billion, NT$470 billion below the Cabinet's proposal.
Taiwan's drone industry has grown rapidly in recent years, with output surging from about NT$5 billion (US$154.87 million) in 2024 to NT$12.9 billion in 2025, while export value jumped from NT$140 million to NT$2.9 billion. Still, compared with semiconductors and electronics assembly, the drone sector remains small, making it critical for the industry to expand technology cooperation and secure government subsidies.
Taiwan's Legislative Yuan Transportation Committee approved amendments to Article 36 of the Telecommunications Management Act in its first reading on July 13, significantly relaxing restrictions on foreign ownership and nationality requirements for satellite operators. The move is widely viewed as paving the way for SpaceX's Starlink to enter the Taiwanese market.
The United States' proposed Golden Dome missile defense system remains highly uncertain, but it is already emerging as a new market that US space and defense startups are racing to enter.


