DRDO Transferred 18 Technologies to MSMEs

The two-day defense-industry interface resulted in 18 technology transfers from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to private enterprises and to be precise MSMEs (Micro Small and Medium Enterprises).

Many MSMEs were provided technical know-how on manufacturing various defense equipment under the “Make in India” programme.

“DRDO alone transferred 18 technologies used by it to manufacture various equipment for the India Army, Navy and Air Force,” said defense production secretary Ajay Kumar. “The DRDO transferred technology for manufacturing 35-meter mountain footbridge to two companies. Similarly, one company received technology for making propellant for low thrust motor and high thrust motor of BrahMos missile,” added Kumar. Technology for making advance bullet-proof vest was transferred to three companies. “Apart from transferring technologies from DRDO to private entrepreneurs, there was an exchange of interest (EOI) between Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), DRDO and Goa Shipyard Ltd for the manufacture of indigenous ship based on DRDO technologies,” he said.

More than 1,000 MSMEs from Chennai, Trichy, Coimbatore, Maharashtra and other places participated. “The companies that participated in the meet from Chennai manufacture aluminum-based products. The MSMEs from Coimbatore mostly deal in manufacturing of machinery. Since this is the first meeting with the MSMEs in TN, we also looked at the products they make to assess whether such products can be used by the DRDO, HAL and other defense companies,” said Kumar.

The defense ministry is working on a list of equipment which can be manufactured by companies based in the country. Once the list is ready – in all probability within a month – a committee will scrutinize it. After that, the private companies interested in manufacturing them would be encouraged for their involvement, said the secretary. The ministry is confident that the MSMEs from TN would be ready to supply components in the coming months.

“We will be happy even if 20 to 30 companies that have registered at our kiosk pass all the tests and trials and finally start to supply products,” said the secretary. Santhosh Savant, an entrepreneur from Thane in Maharashtra, said he had been supplying water radiators to bridge layer tanks manufactured by the DRDO. “For the past several years, my company has been supplying water radiators to DRDO. Two firms approached me asking whether I could supply components to suit their requirement. Since they are using Russian parts at present, they wanted me to rework on my product. They have suggested changes in quality of raw material too. I will sit with my team and work towards fulfilling their conditions,” he said.

Story published in Times News