In a significant boost to Aatmanirbharta, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has sanctioned seven new projects to the private sector under the Technology Development Fund scheme. These projects aim to develop cutting-edge technologies for the Armed Forces and aerospace & defence sectors, nurturing industries, especially MSMEs and start-ups, in these domains.
The projects include the development of an indigenous toolkit for simulator training of pilots, a versatile marine battlefield accessory for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, long-range remotely operated vehicles for detection and neutralisation, an ice detection sensor for aircraft, a radar signal processor with active antenna array simulator, a timing acquisition and dissemination system using Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System, and graphene-based smart and e-textiles for multifunctional wearable applications.
These projects have been awarded to various start-ups and companies, including Oxygen 2 Innovation Pvt Ltd, Sagar Defence Engineering Pvt Ltd, IROV Technologies Pvt Limited, Craftlogic Labs Pvt Ltd, Data Pattern (India) Limited, Accord Software & Systems Pvt Ltd, and Alohatech Private Limited.
The indigenous development of these technologies will strengthen the military industrial ecosystem, enabling the country to achieve self-reliance in defence and aerospace sectors.