Q1. What is the primary role of the DRDO?
A1. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is India's premier agency responsible for the development of technology for defense purposes.
Q2. What are some notable achievements of DRDO?
A2. DRDO has achieved numerous milestones, including:
•Development of the Agni and Prithvi missile series.
•Creation of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) - Tejas.
•Advancements in radar technologies.
•Establishment of India's anti-ballistic missile system.
•Innovations in electronic warfare systems.
Q3. What is the Union government's plan for DRDO's revamp?
A3. The Union government is aiming to redefine DRDO's role, focusing on high-end futuristic technologies. A high-powered committee, headed by Prof. K. Vijay Raghavan, has been set up for this purpose.
Q4. How is DARPA different from DRDO?
A4. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. Unlike DRDO, which has its research facilities, DARPA operates primarily as a funding agency without labs or research staff. All research is conducted through contracts with universities, industry, and other government R&D institutions.
Q5. What is the DARPA model that the Union government is considering for the DRDO?
A5. The Union government intends to restructure DRDO based on the DARPA model, focusing on funding research rather than maintaining large in-house laboratories. DARPA's success lies in its approach to "be the initiator and not the victim of strategic technological surprises".
Q6. Why are reforms being considered for the DRDO?
A6. Reforms are being considered to help the DRDO focus on futuristic technologies, enhance private industry collaboration, maximize academia and start-up participation, and improve efficiency in defense research and production.
Q7. What are the expected outcomes of these reforms?
A7. The reforms aim to make DRDO more agile, reduce delayed projects and cost overruns, foster closer ties with academia and the private sector, and position India at the forefront of defense technology innovation.
