DRDO expands research scope, strengthens ties with IITs

In a move to accelerate the development of homegrown cutting-edge military technologies, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has expanded its collaboration with leading academic institutions, aiming to focus on advanced research for future warfare.

DRDO, which operates under the Ministry of Defence, has long been working closely with Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and Central Universities. Now, with this latest initiative, the organisation has widened its research spectrum to incorporate new strategic areas essential for the evolving battlefield.

On Friday, the Directorate of Futuristic Technology Management (DFTM) at DRDO unveiled a redefined list of research verticals and thrust areas. Previously, 65 research segments were distributed across 15 DRDO Industry Academia — Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoEs). Under the new framework, this number has expanded to 82, reflecting a significant shift towards more diverse and technologically advanced research fields.

The Ministry of Defence stated that several new domains have been added to the research agenda, including compound semiconductor technologies, laser beam-based communication, recycling of materials, software-defined radios, emerging radio frequency technologies, cryptography and information security. These additions align with the future technology requirements of DRDO laboratories and deep technology research areas, ensuring the organisation remains at the forefront of defence innovation.

The expansion is part of a broader strategy to refine the research focus of DIA-CoEs while fostering stronger interdisciplinary and multi-institutional collaboration. By engaging both academia and industry, the initiative aims to minimise duplication of efforts and optimise resource utilisation across institutions. The Ministry emphasised that this realignment would ensure that the research centres contribute meaningfully to addressing DRDO’s future technological challenges, ultimately shaping the next generation of defence capabilities.