DRDO sets up 8 tech centres for research on futuristic military applications

 India's premier defence research institute DRDO has set up eight advanced techlogy centres to carry out research on futuristic military applications, government said on Saturday.

Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik, replying to a question in Rajya Sabha, said se centres will also provide support to academia to undertake research on new techlogies in niche areas for military use.

" Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has created eight advanced techlogy centres across India to carry out research activities in identified futuristic/new techlogy areas," he said.

In August, DRDO had set in motion a long-awaited process to usher in mega reforms as well as to create enabling infrastructure for developing futuristic military weapons.

A committee headed by Prof V Ramagopal Rao, Director of Delhi IIT, has been appointed to suggest measures to improve efficiency of DRDO laboratories across country with an aim to boost domestic defence production. At present, DRDO has over 50 laboratories across country which are engd in developing defence techlogies covering disciplines like aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles, engineering systems, missiles, advanced computing and naval systems.

DRDO has contributed significantly in developing various key weapons and military platforms for all three services in last six decades However, re has been a view in government that DRDO should enhance its efficiency furr in sync with government's focus on making India self-reliant in defence manufacturing. Replying to a separate question, Naik said proposed corporatisation of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) will improve its automy, accountability and efficiency.

" Cabinet Committee on Security in its meeting held on July 29 has approved to convert OFB, a subordinate office of ministry of defence, into one or more than one 100 per cent government-owned corporate entities," he said.

nearly 200-year-old OFB operates 41 ammunition production facilities across country. At present, government has to shell out around Rs 5,000 crore annually to pay salaries of OFB employees. Additionally, it gives around Rs 3,000 crore to OFB as operational cost, according to officials.

An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) has been constituted under chairmanship of minister of defence to oversee and guide entire process of corporatisation of OFB, including transition support and redeployment plan of employees while safeguarding ir ws and retirement benefits,Naik said.