By A Correspondent
New Delhi: India’s indigenous defence technologies, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), played a decisive role during Operation Sindoor, underlining the organisation’s professionalism and commitment to safeguarding national interests, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on January 1, 2026.
Addressing scientists during a visit to DRDO headquarters in New Delhi on the organisation’s 68th Foundation Day, Singh said DRDO-developed weapon systems performed seamlessly during the May 2025 military operations against Pakistan, significantly boosting the morale and confidence of the armed forces.
He credited the organisation with strengthening India’s self-reliance in defence by equipping soldiers with state-of-the-art, mission-critical technologies.
The Defence Minister expressed confidence that DRDO would soon realise the ambitious Sudarshan Chakra initiative, an integrated national air defence framework announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day address in 2025.
Under the programme, DRDO has been tasked with equipping vital installations across the country with layered air defence systems over the next decade.
“Operation Sindoor once again highlighted the importance of air defence in modern warfare. I am confident DRDO will work wholeheartedly to achieve this goal,” Singh said.
Praising DRDO as both a technology creator and a trust builder, the Defence Minister said the organisation’s expanding collaboration with private industry, start-ups, MSMEs, and academia has helped create a synergised defence innovation ecosystem.
He noted visible improvements across procurement, project management, and industry engagement, aimed at making defence development faster, more efficient, and reliable.
Singh urged DRDO to remain aligned with rapidly evolving technologies and continue focusing on innovation, particularly in deep-tech and next-generation domains.
He emphasised that continuous learning, technology scanning, and future readiness are no longer optional in an era where warfare domains and technologies are advancing at an unprecedented speed.
During the visit, Secretary (Defence Research and Development) and DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V. Kamat briefed the Defence Minister on the organisation’s key achievements in 2025, ongoing R&D programmes, industry outreach initiatives, and the strategic roadmap for 2026, including major targets and internal reforms.
Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth, senior DRDO leadership, and scientists were also present at the event.
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