Rajnath Singh Celebrates DRDO's 67th Foundation Day: Sets Vision for Innovation and Collaboration in Defence R&D

Declaring 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’, Shri Rajnath Singh emphasized the critical role of DRDO in strengthening India’s defence capabilities.

On January 2, 2025, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh visited the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Headquarters in New Delhi to commemorate its 67th Foundation Day. The event, attended by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth, was a platform to reflect on DRDO’s achievements and outline a forward-looking vision for the organisation.

Declaring 2025 as the ‘Year of Reforms’, Shri Rajnath Singh emphasized the critical role of DRDO in strengthening India’s defence capabilities. He urged the organisation to adapt to rapidly-evolving technologies and focus on developing state-of-the-art, future-ready solutions for the Armed Forces. Key Objectives:

• Critical Projects: Each DRDO lab to identify 2-3 critical projects and complete them by 2025, targeting 100 completed projects by the next foundation day.
• Global Benchmarking: Monitor and align with technologies adopted by advanced nations to develop niche, indigenous innovations.

Strengthening Private Sector and Start-Up Participation

Shri Rajnath Singh lauded DRDO’s efforts to engage with the private sector, including providing free access to DRDO patents and transferring 1,950 technologies to Indian industries, with 256 Licensing Agreements signed in 2024 alone.

New Initiatives:

1. Inclusion of Start-Ups: DRDO labs to actively involve start-ups in R&D initiatives, fostering innovation.
2. Industry Interaction: Each lab to host two open days every month, creating opportunities for collaboration and awareness.
3. Expanding Dual-Use Technologies: Develop solutions that serve both defence and civilian purposes, promoting broader technological applications.

Achievements and Roadmap

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D, and DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat highlighted the milestones achieved in 2024, including:

• 19 Development-cum-Production Partners chosen for mission-mode projects.
• 18,000 tests conducted for private industries and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) over three years, with 5,000 tests completed in 2024.
• Increased collaboration with academia, start-ups, and private entities.

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Promoting Innovation and Youth Engagement

Shri Rajnath Singh encouraged DRDO to engage with youth by:

• Organising awareness programs to inspire participation in nation-building.
• Serving as a catalyst for academia, industries, and start-ups to create a technological revolution.

He emphasized the need to create a defence-centric ecosystem that also contributes to civilian technological advancements.

Felicitation of the Long Range Hypersonic Anti-Ship Missile Team

During the event, Shri Rajnath Singh felicitated the design team of the Long Range Hypersonic Anti-Ship Missile, acknowledging their contribution to India’s defence capabilities.

 

The celebration of DRDO’s 67th Foundation Day underscores its pivotal role in enhancing India’s defence prowess. With the roadmap for 2025 focused on reforms, collaboration, and innovation, DRDO is set to establish itself as one of the world’s leading R&D organisations.