DRDO Awards Seven Defence Projects to Private Firms

India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has allocated seven new projects to private entities under the Technology Development Fund scheme. The projects focus on underwater UAVs, long-range remotely operated systems, and various advanced military technologies to enhance domestic defence manufacturing and strengthen the military industrial ecosystem.

India's premier defense research organization, DRDO, has awarded seven new projects to private entities to develop key military assets, including an underwater-launched unmanned aerial vehicle and long-range remotely operated systems.

The projects were approved under the defense ministry's Technology Development Fund scheme, which aims to boost domestic defense manufacturing.

One project focuses on underwater-launched unmanned aerial vehicles designed for versatile marine battlefield roles. Another involves creating long-range remotely-operated vehicles for detecting and neutralizing underwater objects.

The initiative supports a broader strategy of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and maritime domain awareness, with Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt Ltd, Pune, assigned the underwater UAV project.

Other projects include developing an ice detection sensor for aircraft and manufacturing radar signal processors. The dual-use long-range remotely-operated vehicles are designed to detect, classify, localize, and neutralize underwater threats while maintaining a safe distance from operational zones, awarded to IROV Technologies Pvt Ltd, Kochi.

Additional initiatives involve creating a radar signal processor with an active antenna array simulator, devising an Indian regional navigation satellite system-based timing system, and developing an indigenous scenario and sensor simulation toolkit for realistic pilot training scenarios. The toolkit project is managed by Oxygen 2 Innovation Pvt Ltd, Noida.

DRDO's announcement stressed that these project sanctions exemplify its ongoing commitment to fostering the defense and aerospace sectors, especially among MSMEs and startups.

The indigenous development of these technologies will significantly bolster the military industrial ecosystem.