IIT Delhi's DIA-CoE Transfers Cutting-edge Bulletproof Jacket Technology

The DRDO Industry Academia-Center of Excellence at IIT Delhi successfully transferred the technology for ABHED, a lightweight bulletproof jacket, to Indian industries. This move enhances India's defense capabilities, with collaborative efforts aimed at further indigenizing defense technology and research for the safety and efficiency of Indian defense forces.

The DRDO Industry Academia-Center of Excellence (DIA-CoE) at IIT Delhi has marked a major milestone by transferring its groundbreaking technology for ABHED, a lightweight bulletproof jacket, to three Indian industries. This initiative is a vital part of India's strategy to bolster indigenous defense manufacturing and enhance the protection of security personnel.

Reinforcing the synergy between academia and industry, the DIA-CoE at IIT Delhi has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with Reliance Industries for the creation of a home-grown polymeric ballistic material. Official statements highlight that the primary focus of the DRDO and DIA-CoE partnership has been to equip defense forces with cutting-edge indigenous technologies based on domestic research.

DIA-CoE has invested pivotal resources to foster an innovation ecosystem that unites IIT Delhi academia, Indian industries, and DRDO laboratory partners. This collaborative effort addresses the critical defense technology requirements for national security, with around 50 research projects underway, closely monitored by DRDO.

The initiative, led by IIT Delhi faculty and collaborating with several DRDO Laboratories, is targeting specialized technologies crucial for the modern soldier, such as advanced lightweight body armor, smart soldier jackets, Terahertz technology for material analysis, and extreme temperature jackets for diverse environments.

Each research project includes soldier-specific technology demonstrators to ensure readiness for technology integration into future advanced systems and potential civilian applications. In pursuit of India's self-reliance in defense security, close to 100 faculty members and 200 research scholars at IIT Delhi are contributing to this national mission.

The first outcomes of these efforts are now visible with the technology transfers and multiple MoAs signed with industry partners during the INAE Annual Convention at IIT Delhi. These agreements aim to accelerate the indigenization of defense technologies and were signed in the presence of top officials, including the Defense Minister, DRDO Chairman, and IIT Delhi Director.

One highlight praised at the convention was the ABHED Bullet Resistant Jacket developed by Prof. Naresh Bhatnagar and his team. It stands out as one of the world's lightest, meeting stringent threat criteria per BIS standards, providing the Indian defense forces significant mobility and protection advantages at frontier areas.

Apart from ABHED, the center has also advanced several critical technologies, ranging from High Power Diffractive Optical Elements to Brain-Computer Interface technology, ensuring India's defense readiness continues to evolve with cutting-edge innovations. (ANI)

(With inputs from agencies.)