New Delhi, Dec 5 (UNI) In a major boost to indigenous defence capabilities, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over seven critical home-grown technologies developed under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme to the three Services. The technologies were handed over during the meeting of the Empowered Committee of DRDO held at DRDO Bhawan, here today.
The technologies span key domains of electronic warfare, naval infrastructure, underwater surveillance, propulsion systems and energy storage, reinforcing the armed forces’ push towards self-reliance while strengthening operational readiness across air, sea and sub-surface platforms.
In a statement issued here, the Ministry of Defence stated that the technologies include an Indigenous High-Voltage Power Supply for Airborne Self-Protection Jammers; A Tide-Efficient Gangway for Naval Jetties; Advanced Very Low Frequency-High Frequency Switching Matrix Systems; VLF loop Aerials for Underwater Platforms; Indigenous Waterjet Propulsion System for Fast Interceptor Craft; A Novel Process for Recovery of Lithium Precursors from used Lithium-ion Batteries and A Long-life Seawater Battery System for Sustained Underwater Sensing and Surveillance Applications.
Each of these technologies/products has been designed, developed & extensively tested by the Indian Industry with close collaboration and guidance of DRDO domain experts and Tri-services, reinforcing the scheme’s focus on import substitution and critical technology development, the statement added.
The Committee undertook detailed discussions on a wide spectrum of projects proposals and approved 12 new projects spanning across strategic, aerospace, naval and electronic warfare technologies.
The Committee discussed the approval approach for various categories of projects under the TDF and emphasised on the need for expediting the end-to-end processing of the scheme’s projects to ensure timeliness and alignment with evolving strategic and technological requirements of the Services.
The Committee also deliberated upon the roadmap of successfully developed technologies and the ways how the subsequent acquisition process needs to be streamlined and executed seamlessly. It recommended important policy alignment and enabling mechanisms to ensure faster induction and operational deployment of the developed technologies.
