The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), on Tuesday, organised an ‘Anusandhaan Chintan Shivir’ with an aim to encourage military R&D within the industry and academia. A list of 75 technology priority areas and ‘DRDO Technology Foresight 2023’ were also released on the occasion to provide a major fillip to the defence manufacturing sector and showcase the areas in which various in-house laboratories are currently working.
Unveiling the 75 technology priority areas will provide a major fillip to the defence manufacturing sector by encouraging the industry to indigenise and innovate on defence technologies in order to place India on the self-reliance trajectory. It will also promote military technology design and development in the country through engagement with industry and academia.
The list identified by the DRDO was further divided into 403 technological categories, which further spread out to 1,295 current & future technology development tasks.
The DRDO Technology Foresight 2023 listed all areas, categories, and technology development activities. The list of activities identified future technology areas that are required for development of defence systems and defence R&D for strengthening the security of the nation. The document listed major technology tasks envisaged in the near future for the defence R&D needs.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief of Defence Staff, General Anil Chauhan complimented the DRDO for organising the ‘Anusandhaan Chintan Shivir’ and stressed on the importance of indigenous defence technologies for the armed forces.
Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO, stated that the DRDO, industry, and academia should work in synergy to take the technologies from low to advanced levels where they can be taken up for bulk production.
Director General (Technology Management), Dr Subrata Rakshit, Director IIT Delhi, Prof. Rangan Banerjee, and Executive VP L&T, Arun Ramchandani provided DRDO academia and industry perspectives on Defence R&D during the Shivir.
The DRDO, with its network of laboratories and centres, is deeply engaged in the development of defence technologies covering various disciplines like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, combat vehicles, engineering systems, instrumentation, missiles, advanced computing simulation, special materials, naval systems, life sciences, training information systems, and modern agriculture technologies.
