New DRDO labs to boost Indian defence capabilities

In order to boost Indian defence system, five research laboratories related to defence are going to set up in the five locations of the country- Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. Each of these laboratories is working on key advanced technology of importance to the development of futuristic defence systems.

New Delhi:India's tactical and strategic defence capabilities are poised to get a boost with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) establishing five laboratories, each in specialising in the core area of futuristic technologies. The specialised areas of work for these laboratories are artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, cognitive technologies, asymmetric technologies and smart materials.

"These laboratories are located at Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad," said a senior DRDO official.

New and futuristic area of asymmetric technologies, which will change the way wars are fought, will be based out of the campus of Jadavpur University in Kolkata. The research in a hot and critical area of smart materials and their applications will be based out of Hyderabad.

Research in the area of rapidly evolving artificial intelligence will be carried out at Bengaluru, while the all-important area of quantum technology will be based out of IIT Mumbai.

The future is dependent on cognitive technologies and IIT Chennai will house the lab embarking in this area of research.

Each of these laboratories is working on key advanced technology of importance to the development of futuristic defence systems.

The directors of these laboratories were selected independently by a committee chaired by Principal Scientific Advisor to Central government. To realise the goals of these laboratories, directors are empowered with financial and administrative authorities at par with any director of a DRDO laboratory.

Establishment of these laboratories for work on advanced and future technologies will be a big leap forward for DRDO from the goal of making India self-reliant to future-ready in defence technologies.

DRDO in a statement said, "The impact of science and technology on defence systems remains undisputed. Edge in technology continues to define the directions of operational, tactical and strategic warfare paradigms."

It also stated that in today's rapidly evolving world technology is challenging the traditional norms of technology assessment and forecasting. "The pace of innovation is such that today's technology needs to be evaluated and its future potential ascertained with unimaginable immediacy," the defence organisation stated.

Innovations and rapid development of future game-changing technologies need to be nurtured with both financial investments and intellectual capital.

"No longer can we wait to evaluate technology till maturity for implementation and then investment. Speed of assessment, rapid prototyping, the pace of evaluation and focused development are necessary for us to remain relevant in the field of cutting edge technology," it stated.

The DRDO stated that these laboratories will be known as Young Scientists laboratories and Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated these to the nation at Bengaluru.