The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) celebrated its 68th Foundation Day on January 1, 2026, at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi, in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth. Addressing the DRDO fraternity, Secretary of Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO, Dr Samir V Kamat, reviewed the organisation's performance in 2025 and outlined priorities for the year ahead.
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Record Indigenisation Push in 2025
Dr Kamat further disclosed that 11 new contracts worth ₹26,000 crore were signed with DRDO's production partners during the year, covering systems such as the Nag Missile System, the Ashwini Low Level Transportable Radar, and the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS). On the technology-transfer front, DRDO has so far handed over 2,201 Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology (LAToT) to Indian industries, of which 245 were signed in 2025 alone.
He revealed that 22 Acceptances of Necessity (AoN) were accorded by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) and the Services Procurement Board (SPB) for induction of DRDO-developed systems worth approximately ₹1.30 lakh crore to be manufactured by Indian industry — the highest figure recorded in a single year in DRDO's history.
Systems cleared for induction include the Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS), the Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile System "Anant Shastra", the Long Range Air-to-Surface Supersonic Cruise Missile (LRASSCM), the Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile Astra Mk-II, and the Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS), among others.
Industry Partnerships and Technology Transfer
The organisation also opened its test facilities to private players, conducting over 4,000 tests for private industries and Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) during the year. Fifteen DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoE) are steering translational research, with 66 new academic projects worth ₹228 crore sanctioned in 2025, engaging 214 researchers.
Dr Kamat urged DRDO scientists to sharpen focus on cyber security, space, and artificial intelligence as the next frontier of defence self-reliance, in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. He added that systems currently under User Evaluation Trials — including the Pralay surface-to-surface missile, Akash NG, and the Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) — are expected to move toward induction in 2026.
This annual review is a key reference point for questions on India's defence indigenisation drive, DRDO's institutional achievements, and terminology such as AoN, LAToT, and DIA-CoE, which frequently appear in competitive exam current-affairs sections.
Source: pib.gov.in
