Recent Current Affairs related to DRDO

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the ‘Greater Than Us’ fundraising campaign of the IIT Kanpur, targeting $1 billion by March 2029 to strengthen research, innovation, and technological infrastructure.

The IIT Kanpur has also announced plans to establish a defence drone hub in partnership with the Ministry of Defence to indigenise critical components and reduce dependence on imports.

The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract with Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) to procure the Improved Low Level Light Weight Radar (LLLR-I) system at a cost of ₹770 crore.

The LLLR-I system can detect and track fighter-size targets and drones, alongside an additional feature for prioritizing aerial targets.

DRDO has successfully configured and tested its Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) platform on the live network of the Proof & Experimental Establishment (PXE) in Chandipur, Odisha.

The QKD platform aims to secure real-time observations and telemetry associated with artillery and armoured weapon trials, strengthening the quantum-secured communication capabilities of India.

The Ministry of Defence has signed contracts worth ₹4,106 crore to procure a dedicated communication satellite (GSAT-7C) for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Varunastra Heavy Weight Torpedoes for the Indian Navy.

The ₹2,563 crore contract for the GSAT-7C satellite was signed with New Space India Ltd, while the ₹1,543 crore contract for the Varunastra torpedoes was inked with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL).

Sigma Advanced Systems Ltd has signed an MoU with Munitions India Ltd (MIL) for the integration, indigenous manufacturing, and supply of 155 mm artillery course-correction fuzes (CCF), along with associated subsystems, components, and advanced defence technologies.

Bharat Forge Ltd has signed a long-term contract with Pratt & Whitney Canada, a subsidiary of RTX Corporation, for the supply of mission-critical aerospace engine components.

The components will be manufactured locally at the advanced aerospace facility of Bharat Forge Ltd in India.

DRDO has successfully conducted the flight trial of an indigenous High-Altitude Platform (HAPS) aimed at creating a long-endurance stratospheric aerial surveillance platform.

The HAPS was developed by the Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment (ADRDE) in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. During the trial, the platform reached 21 km Above Mean Sea Level (AMSL) and maintained 20 km AMSL for over 30 minutes.

Additionally, DRDO has successfully conducted the maiden live jump trial of the indigenous Advanced High-Altitude Parachute (AHAP) at Nyoma (Mudh Drop Zone) in Ladakh, demonstrating its efficacy and tactical employability in extremely high-altitude terrain.

The Indian Navy has commissioned ‘INS Mangrol’, its third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC), at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.

The vessel was built by Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) in Kochi with over 80% indigenous content, including the indigenous Abhay hull-mounted sonar.

Palle Rama Rao, a renowned metallurgist and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hyderabad (UoH), passed away at the age of 89.

He was a recipient of Padma Shri in 1989, Padma Bhushan in 2001, and Padma Vibhushan in 2011.

The Gas Turbine Research Establishment (GTRE) in Bengaluru, under the DRDO, has developed the Kaveri Dry Engine (KDE), also known as the Kaveri Derivative Engine.

The KDE has successfully completed high-altitude test facility evaluations and flight trials in Russia for the ‘Ghatak’ Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV).

Tata Projects Ltd (TPL) has signed an MoU with Canada-based MDS Aero Support Corporation (MDS Aero) to develop advanced aero-engine testing infrastructure in India.

The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract worth ₹661.5 crore with BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd (BAPL) in New Delhi for the procurement of BrahMos Fire Control Systems (FCS) and Launchers for the Indian Navy vessels.

The acquisition is made under the “Buy (Indian-IDDM)” (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category. It is to be noted that the equipment to be supplied must have a minimum indigenous content of 68%.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract worth ₹586 crore with Accurate Industrial Controls Pvt Ltd (AICPL) for the procurement of 3,257 Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) for T-72 and T-90 tanks of the Indian Army.

In another contract, the MoD has signed an agreement valued at ₹810.79 crore with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for the procurement of 160 Satellite Smart Anti-Airfield Weapons (SAT-SAAW) and associated equipment for the Indian Air Force (IAF).

DRDO has partnered with the CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI) for a ₹50 crore project to develop indigenous advanced lightweight bulletproof glass for armoured vehicles.

The four-year project is currently at an advanced stage and is being executed within DRDO laboratories. The initiative aims to transition the technology from laboratory development to large-scale manufacturing with an industry partner to be selected by DRDO.

The DRDO has signed its first high-value deep-tech project agreement under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme with the startup Zero mK India Private Limited.

The collaboration aims for the indigenous development of a 20 millikelvin (mK) dilution refrigerator designed for quantum applications.

Union Minister Rajnath Singh has unveiled several policy initiatives at the ‘VIMARSH 2026’ DRDO-Industry Synergy Meet held in New Delhi under the theme ‘Varta se Vikas’.

During the event, 9 Licensing Agreements for ToT (LAToTs) were handed over to 13 manufacturing partners. DRDO also signed a contract with the Quality Council of India (QCI) for the implementation of the ‘System for Advance Manufacturing Assessment and Rating’ (SAMAR) version 2.0.

A group of scientists led by Dr Meena Mishara has developed indigenous Gallium Nitride (GaN) Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) technology for high-frequency defence applications, was unveiled.

The West Bengal government has approved a proposal by the DRDO to establish a new weapon and missile testing range at Junput village in Purba Medinipur district. Situated along the Bay of Bengal coast, the facility will be the third major missile-testing hub for the DRDO.

Existing testing infrastructures include the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Odisha (at Chandipur and Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island) and the Navdurga Missile Test Range (NMTR) currently being developed at Nagayalanka, Andhra Pradesh.

Bharat Forge Ltd (BFL) has partnered with the US-based Pratt & Whitney Canada to assess the feasibility of incorporating advanced turboprop engines into the High-Altitude, Long-Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) programme. The HALE UAV is currently being developed by the DRDO.

The DRDO has launched the ‘SHIELD’ (S-band High-Power Microwave Integrated Evaluation for Lethality and Damage) programme. The initiative aims to bolster indigenous capabilities in the emerging directed-energy technology sector.

The DRDO and the Advanced Centre of Research in High Energy Materials (ACRHEM) at the University of Hyderabad have secured an Indian patent for a next-generation solid rocket propellant fuel named “BAM-H24”.