India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

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sanjayc
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by sanjayc »

Why India’s homemade INSAS rifle failed to fire?
With the cutting-edge AK 203 rifle yet to be churned out from the gun-making factory at Korwa, in Uttar Pradesh’s Amethi, the search for an indigenous mainstay side weapon for the 16-lakh strong Indian Armed Forces is proving to be an endless wait.

First introduced as the soldier’s basic hand weapon in 1990 to replace the .303s and the slender-barreled Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), the indigenous DRDO-designed 5.56 mm INSAS (Indian National Small Arms Systems) has been riddled with niggling problems from the start.

Failing to secure the confidence of the end-users during the Kargil conflict in 1999 due to issues like cracking of the magazines, jamming, spurting of oil during firing, and going into automatic mode when it was set for three rounds to name a few, the export potential of the assault gun too got a thumbs down when the Royal Nepalese Army blamed the weapon for a 2005 massacre by Nepal Maoists that saw 43 Nepali soldiers being mowed down.

The Nepal Army spokesman Deepak Gurung had said after the encounter with Maoists in the western Kalikot district in 2005: “The INSAS Rifles are okay if you fight for an hour or two but not appropriate for hours-long battle. When fired continuously, the INSAS guns become heated and start malfunctioning. You have to wait for them to cool down before you can fire again.”

The INSAS rifle was the main product issued to the Indian Army as a personal weapon from the state-owned ordnance factories till 2013-14. Since 2014-15, the Army had not placed any indent for the rifle, with the home ministry becoming the main buyer for the paramilitary forces besides the state police forces.

Between 2015-16 and 2019-20, 13-17 per cent of the INSAS rifles were returned for rectification due to defects in components like the breech lock, piston extension, body housing, and unit burst control among others.

And now, a recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has thrown more light on the issues that plague the gun.
In a 2016-2019 audit scrutiny conducted in a sample of 26 cases of ‘defect investigation’ in small weapons, 14 were from the 5.56 mm INSAS rifle. The repetitive defects were the bursting of cartridge case in the chamber, bulging of housing body and cracks in the breech block/barrel extension.

“The rifles were declared ‘un-serviceable’ in all cases. Burst of cartridge case was due to excessive pressure produced in the chamber for lower/higher hardness of components, improper tempering of breech block, and faulty process control in hardening treatment,” the national auditor’s findings said.

The audit probe committee concluded that the problems were due to “pre-existing metallurgical deficiencies in the barrels/components and deviations in hardness of the components due to improper heat treatment process. All these problems indicate manufacturing problems of a metallurgical nature in the concerned weapons.”

The Army’s reluctance to procure the INSAS also results from a shift in focus to a different caliber weapon.

Explaining its position in April 2022, the Army informed the national auditor that “there was a shift in the philosophy of small arms in 2015-16 from 5.56 mm caliber to 7.62 mm since 7.62 mm weapon was found to be more lethal as well as suitable for operational tasks.”
https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2023/ ... -fire.html
ramana
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

Is there a link to the CAG report?
MeshaVishwas
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Post by MeshaVishwas »

ramana wrote:Is there a link to the CAG report?
Saar a bit older report(2015), but the RFR(return for rectification) numbers in the report are below:
Image

Still searching for the 2016-2020 report but 13-17% seems way off or deliberately misrepresented as RFI makes the most numbers and has the least rfr% (single digits).Maybe they are just showing SAF Kanpur and OFT numbers?
Edit: Another interesting thing is that Army stopped RFI built INSAS inductions in FY2012, after that year, only source for Army INSAS fixed butt were from SAF and OFT.
So I think the week article is weak. :D
Edit 2: Last report of MoD by the CAG is from 2017. No luck finding the one quoted by week
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Vips »

Elena Geo Systems unveils chip that can reduce dependence on GPS.

Elena Geo Systems, a Bengaluru-based space technology company, on Thursday unveiled a chip that could trigger a marked shift in satellite-based navigation, and reduce the dependence on American Global Positioning System (GPS).

Elena Geo Systems founder, Lt Col V S Velan, handed over the chip to Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan in the presence of Dr Samir V Kamat, Chairman of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari.

The chip, by virtue of its tiny size, ultra-low power requirement and software-based control, is suitable for use in mobiles, handheld devices and wearables. It forms the core of navigation, positioning and timing applications in India.

“We are thrilled to present NavIC chip, fully designed and developed in India. As India moves ahead with its space policy, we feel this is an opportune time to use a truly Indian product. The processor will give India an edge as both the government and private sector can move away from their dependence on the American Global Positioning System (GPS),“ said Lt Col Velan.

Elena is in the process of patenting the technology and the product developed by its own dedicated R&D team, he said. The chip works using Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) or the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) satellites and can make India self-reliant in this domain, said Elena Geo Systems.

The chip, that offers high precision and accuracy, has many cores that service the requirements of signal acquisition, regeneration, processing and output interface and, hence, has been named a NavIC processor.

It can be used for intelligent tracking of public works, ambulance services, mining, transport corporations, warehousing, public health, civil supplies and fishing management, among others.

The company, incubated at IIT-Kharagpur in 2012, is now a member of the Delhi-based Indian Space Association, and has been pursuing advance technologies to manufacture these chips and modules, some of which have been supplied to the Indian Army and some private entities, it added.
ramana
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

Where is this chip made?
KL Dubey
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by KL Dubey »

ramana wrote:Where is this chip made?
12 nm process means probably either TSMC or GlobalFoundries.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by vijayk »

https://yourstory.com/2022/09/godi-ener ... -ion-cells
WHY THIS STARTUP HIRED 30 PHD HOLDERS TO MAKE LITHIUM-ION CELLS DESIGNED FOR INDIAN CONDITIONS
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Post by Thakur_B »



Army design bureau presents some innovative equipment in partnership with DRDO and industry. Small drones with PGM, tethered drones for base security, compact radio relay stations, SDRs. Some good signs from Army in designing the equipment they need. Many of the equipment showcased has been procured in emergency procurement.
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Post by Pratyush »

I was just watching this program and it shows that the army is quite forward looking in certain areas.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Prem Kumar »

https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/d ... 2023-05-02

An important test conducted by DRDO for safe storage of ammunition underground
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Post by Vips »

Hindustan Airlines Hits New High, Joins Rs 1 Trillion Market Capitalisation Club.

The market capitalisation (m-cap) of state-owned aerospace & defense company Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) crossed the Rs 1-trillion mark with the stock hitting a new high of Rs 3,021 (up 3 per cent) on the BSE in Wednesday’s intra-day trade.

At 10:03 am; with a market cap of Rs 1.006 trillion, HAL claimed the 52nd spot in the overall market cap ranking, the BSE data shows. In the past one month, the stock has outperformed the market by surging 11 per cent as compared to a 3.5 per cent rise in the S&P BSE Sensex.

HAL, a defence public sector undertaking (DPSU), is engaged in the business to undertake design, development, manufacturing, maintenance, repair, overhaul, and servicing of products like aircraft, helicopters, engines and other related systems like avionics, instruments, and accessories.

It also engages with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to contribute to the space programmes of the country. The Government of India (GoI) remains HAL's largest shareholder, with a current shareholding of around 75 per cent.

HAL registered its highest-ever revenue from operations of around Rs 26,500 crore (provisional and unaudited) for the financial year 2022-23 (FY23) as against Rs 24,620 crore for the previous financial year. The company has recorded a revenue growth of 8 per cent during the year as compared to FY22.

The order book of the company stood at around Rs 82,000 crore at the end of March 2023 after liquidation of the supplies during FY23. During the year, fresh contracts of around Rs 26,000 crore were received, which includes manufacturing contracts for 70 HTT -40, 6 Do-228 Aircraft and PSL V launch vehicles. In addition, on ROH front fresh orders to the tune of Rs 16,600 crore were received during the year, HAL had said in a media release.

The cash flow of the company has improved substantially with payments of around Rs 25,000 crore received from various Defence Customers during FY23.

"HAL faces limited competition from the private sector due to high capital intensity and long gestation periods for developing manufacturing capabilities in the sector. Though competition from the private sector is likely to intensify in the medium term, HAL’s established track record and large manufacturing capacities with adequate pool of trained manpower and focus on research and development (R&D) will continue to be strong mitigating factors. The govt’s increased focus on indigenisation with the Make in India policy and mandatory offset policy for defence procurement by the govt, augur well for the company’s future growth, " said rating agency ICRA.

The ratings factor in the majority ownership held by the govt in HAL and its strategic position as a dominant supplier of aircrafts, helicopters, engines, avionics, and accessories as well as main provider of maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services to the Indian defence forces, ICRA said in its rating rationale.
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Post by Vips »

Grene Robotics acquires deep-tech defence IP from Apogee C4I LLP.

In 2021, a small Hyderabad-based firm, Grene Robotics, introduced the Indrajaal, which it billed as the world’s only comprehensive, autonomous, anti-drone security system. Each Indrajaal system covers areas as large as 4,000 square kilometres.

On Tuesday, Grene Robotics went a step further, completing the acquisition of command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (C4ISRT) platform from Apogee C4I LLP — a first-of-its-kind indigenous defence technology company.

Currently, many anti-drone systems are treated as if drones are the only low radar cross section (RCS) threat in the tactical battle area. Numerous systems qualify as low-RCS weapons, including loitering munitions, smart bombs, rocket showers, nano and micro drones, etc. However, existing air defence systems are not geared to address low-RCS threats. Grene Robotics believes that all low RCS threats should be grouped and dealt with using a single system.

“Indrajaal is the world’s only anti-drone system that can defend against all classifications and all levels of autonomous drones. With the integration of Apogee’s advanced deep-tech platform, we aim at bolstering Indrajaal’s anti-drone capabilities further,” said Kiran Raju, founder and chief executive officer, Grene Robotics.

“We have funded all our operations ourselves over several years. As far as innovation for defence excellence (iDEX) is concerned, we won an iDEX challenge three years ago. Next-generation threat identification was the problem statement we attempted under the airspace management segment,” said Raju.

With funding sources inadequate, Grene Robotics has continued looking for funds within its resources for the past 14 years. As part of this, it has strategically acquired deep-tech intellectual property from Apogee C4I to enhance its drone and anti-drone defence programme.

This move is expected to significantly strengthen Grene Robotics’ capabilities in the defence sector. It will also lead to greater implementation on a national and international level, establishing Grene Robotics as a global leader in counter-drone security systems.

“The combined capabilities of Grene Robotics and Apogee C4I will help set a new industry standard for anti-drone solutions, future-proofing protection against emerging low-RCS threats,” said Wing Commander M V N Sai (retired), director of emerging technologies, Grene Robotics.

According to Vamsi Vellanki, who handles finances for Grene Robotics, the global anti-drone market will reach US $12.6 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 27.65 per cent from 2022 to 2030.

“Grene Robotics employs 70 people, at least 45 of whom have been with the company for 14 years. They have been investing in the company. A lot of money has been sunk in this process; more than $30 million has been spent,” says Raju.

Image
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by SSridhar »

IIT-M and DRDO develop underwater sensor technology - ToI
Researchers from Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have developed a thin-membrane based sensor technology for underwater communication. The indigenous technology, which can be used in defence applications, will help in the making and fabricating low-cost sensing devices than depending on international foundries where the fabrication cost is high.

Researchers said they developed piezoelectric MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) technology where they fabricated 100mm diameter piezoelectric thin films. The film was fabricated with good uniformity and higher piezoelectric properties, where it has the capability to generate electric charge upon mechanical stress or vibration or vibrate when an electric charge is applied. The film was used to make thin film membrane based piezo MEMS (micro electro mechanical system) acoustic sensors.

The piezo thin films are one of the vital components of piezo MEMS devices and are considered for acoustics and vibration-sensing applications. “This technology is matured enough to convert it as a system with the support of Indian Industry. This technology will be a disruptive technology in this domain and our country achieved ‘Aatma Nirbhar Bharat’ in underwater materials and micro device processing technology,” said O R Nandagopan, director, DRDO Industry Academia-Ramanujan Centre of Excellence.

Researchers said the piezo thin film and the MEMS process technology will support the next generation sonar programme of DRDO for the Indian Navy. “The facility for the fabrication is established at IIT Madras and also at DRDO Industry Academia - Ramanujan Centre of Excellence,” said Prof Amitava Das Gupta, department of electrical engineering, IIT Madras.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by bala »

India Bans Import Of 928 Defence Items. They Will Now Be Made In India.
Major Gaurav Arya


// the import pasand are being put on notice. No more leakage of defence funds to foreign nations.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Prem Kumar »

I will take a contrarian view on this. The last couple of indigenization lists have contained a lot of LRUs, components, sub-components etc. This is clearly babugiri at work. They make it look like they are supporting Atmanirbhar, but keep churning out these lists of minimal consequence, while big ticket systems continue to be imported.

Its like the experiment with the guy filling up the beaker with sand first, which will leave no room for pebbles or rocks. Instead, he should be filling it with the rocks first.

The babus have successfully replaced impactful work with meaningless busy-work. The indigenization list is a great idea that's getting hijacked. We can keep adding 900 sub-components to indigenize annually for the next 20 years and still have plenty to spare

Instead, I want to see only 3 items

1) All tanks (heavy/medium/light) will be IDDM only starting 2023
2) All artillery (towed, mounted, tracked, wheeled, self-propelled) will be IDDM only starting 2023
3) All light & medium combat aircraft will be IDDM only starting 2023


Lets see if Shri Rajnath Singh can pull this off. This is the litmus test. If he cannot spell this out clearly, then its obvious that the Chandigarh lobby is calling the shots, not him.

Once we do the above 3, other big-ticket items can be added, like SSKs, Light & Medium Helicopters etc
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Post by RoyG »

Prem Kumar wrote:I will take a contrarian view on this. The last couple of indigenization lists have contained a lot of LRUs, components, sub-components etc. This is clearly babugiri at work. They make it look like they are supporting Atmanirbhar, but keep churning out these lists of minimal consequence, while big ticket systems continue to be imported.

Its like the experiment with the guy filling up the beaker with sand first, which will leave no room for pebbles or rocks. Instead, he should be filling it with the rocks first.

The babus have successfully replaced impactful work with meaningless busy-work. The indigenization list is a great idea that's getting hijacked. We can keep adding 900 sub-components to indigenize annually for the next 20 years and still have plenty to spare

Instead, I want to see only 3 items

1) All tanks (heavy/medium/light) will be IDDM only starting 2023
2) All artillery (towed, mounted, tracked, wheeled, self-propelled) will be IDDM only starting 2023
3) All light & medium combat aircraft will be IDDM only starting 2023


Lets see if Shri Rajnath Singh can pull this off. This is the litmus test. If he cannot spell this out clearly, then its obvious that the Chandigarh lobby is calling the shots, not him.

Once we do the above 3, other big-ticket items can be added, like SSKs, Light & Medium Helicopters etc
The game is to license produce select big ticket items forever. Subcomponents are imp though considering the uncertainty abroad particularly Russia Ukraine. If the war expands we will be scrambling.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Mollick.R »

Paras Defence shares surge 7% on JV with Israeli company

JUNE 02, 2023 / 09:30 AM IST
Paras Defence and Space Technologies has entered into a joint venture agreement with CONTROP Precision Technologies to manufacture, instal and provide logistics and after-sale support, etc, in the electro-optic infra-red field in keeping with Make in India initiative.

Paras will hold a 30 percent stake in the venture and the remaining 70 percent will rest with by CONTROP.
https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/busin ... 28231.html
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Mollick.R »

...

wrong thread..
self delete
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Rakesh »

Drag & Drop picture into new browser window...

https://twitter.com/fnind/status/168144 ... 89507?s=20 ---> DRDO Page of Focus News of 19 July 2023.

Image
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Post by RoyG »

Reservations creeping into DRDO?

Twitter link:

https://twitter.com/talk2anuradha/statu ... 56256?s=20
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Aditya_V »

RoyG wrote: 25 Jul 2023 03:51 Reservations creeping into DRDO?

Twitter link:

https://twitter.com/talk2anuradha/statu ... 56256?s=20

Reservations have been in DRDO for the last 40 years
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ritesh »

Aditya_V wrote: 26 Jul 2023 08:01
RoyG wrote: 25 Jul 2023 03:51 Reservations creeping into DRDO?

Twitter link:

https://twitter.com/talk2anuradha/statu ... 56256?s=20

Reservations have been in DRDO for the last 40 years
Exactly, what's new? Needless controversy.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Rakesh »

Modi government sets up high power committee to review DRDO
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-ne ... 05562.html
23 August 2023

https://twitter.com/nitingokhale/status ... 70864?s=20 ---> After breaking up the OFB into seven smaller, stand alone verticals a couple of years ago, the govt has turned its attention to DRDO. A nine-member committee headed by former PSA, Vijayraghavan will review and recommend DRDO's overhaul.

https://twitter.com/nitingokhale/status ... 46502?s=20 ---> The committee members are military professionals, defence industry stalwarts, head of a think-tank, an academic, an ISRO scientist and a defence finance official. It has to come up with a report recommending restructuring and redefining the role of DRDO in three months.

https://twitter.com/nitingokhale/status ... 97323?s=20 ---> Other terms of reference for the committee set by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is to rationalise the DRDO labs structure, modernise its management structure and step up interaction with the academia and the MSMEs.
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Post by Rakesh »

https://twitter.com/SJha1618/status/169 ... 97999?s=20 ---> Any 'unbundling' of DRDO or ending DRDO's status as a department under the MoD would be a retrograde step that will definitely not aid Atmanirbharta. There was a time when DRDO was just an organization under MoD and its DG used to report to Secy Defence. That was found to be entirely suboptimal for pursuing mission mode programmes.

https://twitter.com/SJha1618/status/169 ... 18760?s=20 ---> When somebody says, 'Oh DRDO has done well in missiles', they probably don't understand that this statement necessarily implies that it has also done well in radars, comm links, sensors and mobile launch systems as well. And this effort has taken all of DRDO's different clusters to pull together.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Prem Kumar »

1) What happened to the Rama Rao report? Has a review been done to see if its suggestions have been implemented?

2) The Govt has proven incapable of dismantling the Chandigarh Lobby and cleaning the rot in MoD & Services Leadership. Those 2 are the biggest roadblocks to Atmanirbhar & our aim to become a superpower. Going after them would be the hard but necessary step, but the Govt is afraid/unwilling to take on the import lobby, foreign powers and our sold-out media. DRDO is an easier whipping boy. No media is going to come to their rescue

3) I will believe this Govt is serious about Atmanirbharta in defense when it goes after the rot in Armed Forces Procurement & the corrupt babus in MoD. Till then its all bakwas
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Post by Neela »

Little anecdote.
Learned from a Foundry Tech expert last week at Haifa that Israel based TowerSemi helped setup SCL / Chandigarh in the 1980s. They were primary consultants. About 8 of them were there for 1 year.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by sanman »

Rakesh
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Rakesh »

DRDO headed for revamp, to focus on futuristic military technologies
https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-i ... 2023-08-26
26 August 2023
The PMO-driven initiative aims to rid India’s premier defence research agency of ‘redundant’ tasks and remodel it on the lines of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
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Post by drnayar »

Rakesh wrote: 26 Aug 2023 21:16 DRDO headed for revamp, to focus on futuristic military technologies
https://www.indiatoday.in/india-today-i ... 2023-08-26
26 August 2023
The PMO-driven initiative aims to rid India’s premier defence research agency of ‘redundant’ tasks and remodel it on the lines of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
about time !!.. hive off all the DRDO factories and production facilities into new organisations..focus on futuristic tech, rope in academic institutions and bring in the private sector for joint R&D
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

So what are forum ideas on reforms?
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Jay »

drnayar wrote: 26 Aug 2023 22:56
focus on futuristic tech, rope in academic institutions and bring in the private sector for joint R&D
But this is already happening with the current setup. What is the goal for this restructuring?
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by bala »

DRDO is a vast organization that includes new stuff (R&D), certification, governance and compliance entities and some others. Just a DARPA like structure does not cover all aspects. The DARPA type stuff is a conduit for Universities, private entities to get paid for research. Research & Dev is sometimes not linear process and requires out-of-box thinking. Many research programs in US Univ are DARPA funded. We can have GoI fully supporting such research, in IITs, NiTs, etc and even include private companies in relevant areas. Some of these are happening today but a more DARPA like formal structure would help. Of course, we need leadership who can think big, be generous about sanctioning relevant research and manage the show. ISRO can be consulted for such activities, grooming proper leadership is really a huge piece in the puzzle. In the US they tap private companies like Palantir in AI or Google in AI or AWS in various IT stuff. India does not have the depth of private companies doing fundamental R&D programs.

The other areas in DRDO might require separate org structures since they are strictly not in R&D but are crucial for products. This is where people think DRDO is bloated and has useless people. But who is going to do such crucial work. The US outsources some of them but they retain full Govt control over such activities.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by drnayar »

Jay wrote: 30 Aug 2023 23:28
drnayar wrote: 26 Aug 2023 22:56
focus on futuristic tech, rope in academic institutions and bring in the private sector for joint R&D
But this is already happening with the current setup. What is the goal for this restructuring?
seems like apart from missiles and radars other sectors are not doing as well as there are supposed to. I am just speaking from open source info btw. maybe gurus can explain in detail.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Jay »

drnayar wrote: 31 Aug 2023 03:09
Jay wrote: 30 Aug 2023 23:28

But this is already happening with the current setup. What is the goal for this restructuring?
seems like apart from missiles and radars other sectors are not doing as well as there are supposed to. I am just speaking from open source info btw. maybe gurus can explain in detail.
With an 2023 budget of less than $3bil, DRDO labs actually punches above their weight while also dealing with the most persnickety customer there is to be in Indian Armed forces. This they do it without much fanfare and gratitude(in my opinion) from the majority in the nation.

It will be a decent list, but on the top of my mind DRDO has so far delivered
  • ANURAG - Advanced Computing Systems, architecture, and computational assessment that are used in IMGDP, Navigation, Mission Computers, Radars and other products

    ASL - Cutting edge work for Missiles. This is an offshoot advanced lab of RCI, which in itself was an advanced lab in the IMGDP program

    ARDRE - Brake shutes for various planes, including LCA and ISRO's missions

    ADE - Much work from these labs in aviation, especially in the LCA & other programs

    ARDE - INSAS, IFG, Arjun 120mm gun

    CABS - AWACS program

    DARE - Mission computers for LCA, Jag, MIGS, AWACS, and other planes in IAF

    DLRL - Various EW systems

    DMRL - Along with Midhani produces and does R&D work on exotic metals. Clients products include ISRO vehicles, IA tanks/armor, etc

    GTRE - With what it has, it produced what we have in the form of Kaveri program

    ITR - Testing for all our missiles

    LRDE - A whole range of Radars including Indra, LRTR, and Uttam

    NSTL/NSTO - Torpedoes and under water crafts

    RCI - Advanced avionics and missions systems for missiles, and other military products
Prasad
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Prasad »

What reform? The first point in the agenda itself is to remove drdo chief from secretary r&d position and appoint a babu instead.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Prem Kumar »

I think this is a sly-strike by the import lobby, ably assisted by the likes of Saab, internal back-stabbers (private industry) who didn't get contracts to do screwdriver-giri etc

While this forum is good to brainstorm, people need to raise a stink in social media, write online articles (like in Delhi Defense Review, Swarajya etc)
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Rakesh »

https://twitter.com/alpha_defense/statu ... 22676?s=20 ---> NSTL to carry out Heavy Weight Torpedo trials at ULAN Test Range in Kyrgyzstan. Photo: Varunastra HWT

Ulan Test Range ---> https://www.globalsecurity.org/military ... yk-kul.htm

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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by bala »

Interesting discussion by Lt. Gen and Admiral on DRDO restructuring..and what is to be done.

IDDM is the watch word which is India design, developement and made. Budgets and recruitment topics are discussed. Our MOD should be thinking of leveraging talent at IIT, NIT, IISc in more savy manner. Best and brightest need to be involved in the defense industry. The Navy is on the IDDM path and in many cases they lead and most of the stuff in the Navy is completely Indian. The Army in artillery has been on the IDDM path. Engines across the board are still a hole. HAL/ADA is only place for aircrafts and helos.

Towards the end there is an interesting discussion about Tejas/LCA by Vice Admiral Raman Puri. The Tejas program asked for 4000 crores but the bean counters gave 2000 crores. (reminds me of my dad dealing with bean counters in the ministry of defence - he would typically ask for 2x or 3x amount and bean counter would give exactly half. He would have a good chuckle). The Tejas flew in early 2000 but the program was stuck with weapons integration, certification all done serially, instead of having them done in parallel fashion. What a waste of program mgmt time. He also mentions that most fighter aircraft programs had failures (30 in 1 case) but they went on to develop the darn thing. In India the first failure and the babus would shut it down (such myopic thinking). Failures are the stepping stone towards success and beyond. MK2 and AMCA will take much less time to fructify because of the investment on Tejas/LCA.



// Strictly My Opinion: many of them are about project mgmt and system integration. These are routinely accomplished by many in the private industry, e.g., Skunkworks for LM comes to mind. Project mgmt and system integration are highly intricate stuff and having qualified professionals is required. The Armed forces should think along these lines. People like Generals/Admirals/AirMarshal can provide leadership, but we have to relegate these specialized work to pros. Programs (e.g. IGMDP) instead of projects was reiterated by Shankar, which I agree. Another thing is about test facility and the lack of some in India. Running to Rus for engine test is a huge bottleneck. Comments welcome.
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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by Rakesh »

https://x.com/AdithyaKM_/status/1625329 ... 01121?s=20 ----> DRDO ISTAR 1:18 scale model and posters.

Also see this post ---> viewtopic.php?p=2603513#p2603513

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Re: India's R&D in Defence DRDO, PSUs and Private Sector

Post by ramana »

IN indigenizes the AK-630 round for CIWS

Note; The rounds are HEI and HET(tracer) the third round is (Prac) for practice.

https://twitter.com/ANI/status/17094579 ... 6b4_g&s=19


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For Ref: https://thesovietarmourblog.blogspot.co ... idges.html
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