The post had been vacant since May after the then Chief Dr. S. Christopher stepped down
The Government on Saturday appointed eminent scientist Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy as the Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
The top post of the DRDO had been vacant since May after the then Chief Dr. S. Christopher stepped down.
“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Dr. G Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri to the post of Secretary, Department of Defence Research & development and Chairman, DRDO for a period of two years with effect from the date of assumption of charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” a Government order said.
A missile scientist, Dr. Reddy was holding charge as the Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and also as Director General of the strategic missiles division.
As head of the Research Centre Imarat (RCI), he is credited with the indigenous development of seeker technology, a critical component in missiles.
(File) Visitors look at a display of DRDO communication aircraft at the DefExpo 2018 in Chennai | AFP
The Narendra Modi government has undone one of its own major defence sector reforms. Soon after it had come to power, the Modi government had bifurcated the posts of the chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and of scientific adviser to the defence minster for better efficiency and ease of functioning. Now, both posts are vacant.
The last scientist to head the DRDO, S. Christopher, retired on May 29, and the government has not yet found a scientist to succeed him. So it has asked the defence secretary, an IAS officer, to also function as head of the prestigious body of defence scientists.
And two months ago, the term of Satish Reddy, scientific adviser to the defence minister, ended. The post has been lying vacant since.
Earlier, the director of the DRDO also used to function as scientific adviser to the defence minister. As many as 12 eminent scientists had held the post, including such illustrious names as A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, V.S. Arunachalam, V.K. Saraswat and Avinash Chander. Under their stewardship, the prestigious body with nearly 8,000 defence scientists—and having an annual budget of about Rs 20,000 crore and about 50 laboratories—developed a host of ballistic missiles, Light Combat Aircraft, Arjun battle tank and hundreds of critical weapons systems and components, which are not even available for import.
After the Modi government came to power, it first granted an extension to the then DRDO chief-cum-scientific adviser Chander, who was to retire in November 2014. The extension was for 18 months, but less than two months later, the Modi government abruptly cancelled the extension, sent Chander packing, and asked the defence secretary R.K. Mathur, an IAS officer, to function also as DRDO chief.
The then defence minister, Manohar Parrikar, defended the Modi government’s decision to cut short Chander’s tenure, saying that the government wanted someone younger to head the DRDO, as at that time, nearly a dozen of its topmost scientists were on service extensions after retirement.
Subsequently, the Modi government bifurcated the posts. The DRDO chief’s job was given to aeronautics scientist Dr S. Christopher, while Dr Satish Reddy, a missile scientist, was appointed scientific adviser in May 2015, both for two-year terms. When their terms expired, the government gave both of them one-year extensions.
Finally, Christopher’s tenure expired on May 29, on which day he demitted office. The post has since been held as an additional charge by Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra, an IAS officer, for the period of three months.
Reddy’s extended tenure ended on June 4, and he has since gone back. The post he held in Delhi, that of the scientific adviser, “has since been lying vacant, and no fresh order for extension of his service or naming his successor has come,” said an informed source.
There is a buzz in the defence ministry that Reddy, who is also director general (Missiles & Strategic Systems) is being considered for the post of DRDO chief. Other names being considered include P.K. Mehta, director general of armament and combat engineering systems; Jillelamudi Manjula, currently posted as the director general, electronics and communication systems and Sudhir Mishra, head of BrahMos.
There is also speculation that the Modi government is toying with another experiment—of merging the posts of secretary, Research and Development (who is also chairman, DRDO) and secretary, defence production. The ‘IAS lobby’, too, is learnt to be pushing for the move because the defence production secretary’s job is held by an IAS officer.
There is a growing demand for the Akash, an all-weather medium-range surface-to-air missile: DRDO Chairman
COIMBATORE: Several countries have evinced interest in procuring the indigenously developed Akash missile, a top Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) official said here today.
There is a growing demand for the Akash, an all-weather medium-range surface-to-air missile, and many nations have shown interest in it, DRDO Chairman S Christopher told reporters here.
Developed by the DRDO, the Akash missile system has the capability to neutralise aerial targets such as fighter jets, cruise missiles and air-to-surface missiles as well as ballistic missiles.
Talks were underway with the countries and “it (orders for the missile) will come”, Christopher said without divulging further details.
To a query on the allocation for research and development, he said this year the organisation has a budgetary allocation of Rs 2,000 crore.
Christopher, who was here to participate in a function, also said there were export inquiries for the BrahMos missile.
BrahMos is joint venture between the DRDO of India and NPO Mashinostroyenia(NPOM) of Russia.
PSU Bharat Dynamics Ltd Chairman and Managing Director, V Udaya Bhaskar said the Akash missile is going to be in good demand for another three to four years as both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army need them in good numbers.
L&T Board whole-time Director (Defence) Jayant Patil said a new aerospace facility in the district will become operational in another 10 months and it will manufacture rocket motors for ISRO.
The defence arm of the L&T, which has so far invested Rs 500 crore in the unit here, is also supplying air frame to BrahMos missile and will expand the product range in the near future.
By Pradip R Sagar May 02, 2018 18:29 IST – THE WEEK
DRDO chief S. Christopher (left) with Arun Jaitley, during his brief tenure as defence minister in 2017 | Facebook account of DRDO
With the tenure of S. Christopher, current chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), coming to an end later this month, the race for the top post in the country’s premier defence research organisation has begun. Christopher, who was given a one-year extension at the last moment in May 2017, though, is also eyeing another extension. But whether he will be second time lucky is unclear.
Hectic parleys have begun for the coveted post. The key players who are in the race to lead the DRDO include Sudhir Mishra, director general of BrahMos missile system division, and G. Satheesh Reddy, who is presently serving as director general (Missiles & Strategic Systems) and scientific advisor to the defence minister. Besides Mishra and Reddy, P.K. Mehta, who is currently heading the office of the director general of armament and combat engineering systems, is considered to be in the race to head DRDO, which has an annual budget of nearly Rs 20,000 crore.
According to sources in South Block, Reddy is the senior-most scientist in the organisation after Christopher. His name figured prominently last year also, but Christopher managed to get an extension at the last minute, meaning Reddy would need to wait for a year. Former defence minister Manohar Parrikar had bifurcated the post of DRDO chief and scientific advisor to the defence minister, which earlier used to be occupied by one person. Christopher is completing his tenure on May 29.
Mishra, head of BrahMos missile system division—a joint venture between India and Russia— is also among candidates vying for the top post in DRDO.
Mehta, who is heading the Pune-based cluster of armament and combat engineering systems, can be a dark horse in the race due to his proximity with top BJP leaders, sources claimed.
Christopher, who took over as the head of DRDO in May 2015, did his best to impress Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman by showcasing the work done under his leadership towards self-reliance in the recently concluded DefExpo in Chennai. A special pavilion under the ‘Make in India’ theme was inaugurated by Modi, in which all major equipment designed and developed by DRDO were showcased. Last year, Christopher had directed all the labs to remove his photographs, just two weeks before he was to retire. But only at the last minute, he was given extension for a year by the government.
DRDO has often been criticised for delayed projects, as most of its ventures, ranging from the Tejas light combat aircraft to long-range surface-to-air missile systems, have been repeatedly missing deadlines, with huge cost overruns. In the absence of self-reliance in defence, the Indian armed forces continue to be heavily dependent on imports. India continues to top the list of global importers of military hardware, with over 70 per cent of armed forces’ requirements being met by foreign firms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first interaction with DRDO scientists in 2014 had sent a stern message to the defence research agency against their ‘chalta hai’ attitude.
Abhinandan Mishra April 8, 2018, Sunday Guardian With the tenure of the chief of Defence Research and Development Organization Christopher (DRDO) ending next month, the officers eyeing his post have started meeting bureaucrats and politicians to push their candidature.
Even Christopher, who was given a one-year extension on 29 May last year, is interested in another tenure with the premier defence organisation and is banking on Defence Expo 2018, the largest land, naval and internal homeland security systems exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region, which will be held in Chennai from 11 to 14 April.
The defence expo, which will be inaugurated by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, will also see the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 12 April.
Sources said it is during this event that Christopher intends to showcase the “impressive work” done by DRDO under his leadership, ever since he took over as the chief of the organisation in May 2015, to give a message to the PM that he deserves another extension.
The other officers who are fighting it out to lead the DRDO, which has an annual budget of close to Rs 17,900 crore, include P.K. Mehta, who is presently Director General for armament and combat engineering system in the organization; Dr Sudhir Mishra, who is the Director General of BrahMos missile system division of the DRDO; and G. Satheesh Reddy who is presently serving as Director General (Missiles & Strategic Systems) and Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister.
Mehta, according to sources, is being backed by a very powerful leader from a western state, while Mishra is getting the support of some members of Niti Aayog.
Reddy’s appointment, according to sources, was almost finalised last year.
Last year, Christopher, who was given an extension at the last moment, had directed all the labs to remove his photographs from the lab, just two weeks before he was to retire.
Christopher in an internal communication had stated that “Old colonial practice followed by the Services, to display prominently, photos of their Chiefs and Commanders, is followed inadvertently by some of the labs. This practice is also not required. I request all DRDO establishments to display the photos of the President and Prime Minister of India only, and not the Chairman of DRDO. This may please be implemented at the earliest and not later than 15 May 2017”. He had stated that he was among the first few officials in the MoD who never used a red beacon, much before PM’s recent directive came. Sources within the organisation said that all the four people who were in the fray, had an exceptional profile.
Sumit Bhattacharjee – VISAKHAPATNAM, JULY 01, 2017 – THE HINDU
Sub-sonic cruise missile will be ready by month end, says DRDO chief
The fourth test of Nirbhay, the long rage sub-sonic cruise missile that is designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), failed on December 21 last year because of use of faulty material, said Chairman of the DRDO and Secretary of Department of Defence R&D S. Chirstopher here on Saturday.
Speaking to The Hindu after inaugurating a workshop on indigenous lithium-ion batteries for special applications, hosted by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratories (NSTL), the DRDO chief said, “The fourth test of the missile took place from the Launch Complex-III of Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Balasore in Odisha and after lift-off the missile developed snags over one of its wings, started to bank on one side and veered dangerously. We had to activate the ‘self-destruct’ mechanism to kill it mid-air. On investigation, it was found out that the vendor who manufactured it used recycled material for one of the key components that operates the wings of the missile and that was the reason why it failed. The strength of the recycled material was not sufficient to operate the parameters. Though the vendor followed all specifications, the use of re-cycle material was not disclosed.”
But, according to Dr. Christopher, the same vendor had been told to produce another one ‘free of cost’ under the same specifications but without any short-cuts. “Everything was right in the missile, only this faulty material caused the failure. But now it will be ready by July end or August and we shall go for the fifth test,” he said.
Nirbhay is an all-weather, low-cost, long-range sub-sonic cruise missile capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads and is considered to be a strategic weapon.
Roadmap
Pronouncing the roadmap, Dr. Christopher said once the test was successful they would identify the production partner whom they referred to as strategic partner and would go for further variations. “It is a guided missile and right now there is no problem with the path in the higher altitude. But there are some glitches in the lower altitude and we will be working on the seekers for pin-point accuracy. The missile should be ready by next two to three years,” he said.
According to him, the DRDO is working on the strategic partner model who would have stake in the production. “This will make the agency responsible and we will get rid of the tendering process for every small thing. There may be multiple indigenous strategic partners for each of our weapon and defence systems,” he pointed out.
On the naval variant of Tejas–Mark II (light combat aircraft), Dr. Christopher said the prototype was ready and had fullfilled the parameters of ski-jump on board aircraft carriers. But the Navy had been insisting on twin engines and they were working on the power of the engines. “We are also looking for strategic partners and the partner may be a foreign firm that would provide back-end support,” he said.
The DRDO chief sounded very enthusiastic about the indigenously built AEWACS (Airbone early warning and control system). “We have already inducted one indigenously built system and it is flying from Bhatinda.”
In total, they intended to induct 15 AEWACS and of them five would be from Israel and the remaining indigenous ones.
Of the indigenous ones, two would be smaller ones mounted on Brazilian Embraer-145 jets and the remaining would be on Airbus 330. “We have already received the order for six from the Indian Air Force and the negotiations with Airbus is in the final stages. The indigenous ones will have all the features of the Israeli make so that there may not be two teams operating on two different makes,” said Dr. Christopher.
DRDO very well know about the neck deep corruption dump of dirt. Dr A K Saxena is still safe because he involved lot of scientists and official of DRDO & CDA in his corruption game. Although some scientists involved in dirty game because of DRDO promotion policy, some were wrap unknowingly only for signature requirement.
So to explain his corruption practice in detail is not so important but the helplessness of DRDO top authorities is more important. Now days in the Modi era the top DRDO official are not enjoying cream like their predecessor enjoyed free unaccounted budget.
Christopher work is to sweep or cover their corruption cases, although some wiser ones are leaving DRDO before catch. But in one case last date before leaving DRDO great scientist cleared 35 crs file, it seems same was the pension perks. There is no time to spent even sanctioned budget. Most of labs are in no project state they are passing their time in buildup and maintenance. Directors of lab are surviving on construction and todu aur phir banao mode. Since last three years DRDO not having any achievement in which they ask PM to come and see.
See the budget
Year Allocation of funds
(Rs. in crore)
2014-15 13716.14
2015-16 13540.11
2016-17 13501.00
2017-18 ?
Nirbhay is still in soup after four failures but without fixing the problem again pushing to lit poor tax payers money.
In parliament questions DRDO successfully following the tradition that not to reply or mislead the honorable parliament. see the records never replied with honor that yes we achieved this and next day front page news come in all news papers.
It is high time to reorganize DRDO labs as Lieutenant General DB Shekatkar (Retired) in his report “Shut down Laboratories and Overhaul the DRDO, Expert Committee Tells Defence Ministry”
The DMSRDE is fit case for that to attach this lab to CSIR and definitely then KANPUR lab will contribute their best to nation and help Modi ji for his make in India mission.
The DRDO Vigilance always headed by top chamchas because they never apply their mind only look for node from earlier SA office now they have plenty bosses. Ones Christopher tried to put honest man AVM Reddy but then DOP and others paralyzed him and he quit the DRDO.
So corruption’s roots are very deep in DRDO, MODI & YOGI also cannot uproot corruption of DRDO.
I am herewith sending you the letter addressed to Sri Narendra Modi, PM
as on date, no action was taken.
Regards
K.Surya Kumari.
Visakhapatnam,
D/21-9-16
From
Smt. K.Surya Kumari (Retd.),
R/o H.No.13-24, LN Nagar,
Sujatha Nagar Post,
Visakhapatnam – 530051 (AP)
To
Dr. Narendra Modi,
Prime Minister of India,
7, Race Course Road,
New Delhi – 110001
Sir,
Sub: Non-issuance of Pension
Ref: 1) Cabinet Committee report on Sexual Harassment constituted
Vide Cabinet Secretariat order No.501/IV/3/2012-VCC dt.5-8-13.
2) CAT, Hyderabad orders on OA Nos.309 and 310 / 2010
3) High Court, AP order on WPMP No.36603 in WP
No.29554 / 2011
4) DRDO Hq. Letter dt.14-9-2012 on non-posting anywhere else.
5) Cabinet Secretariat Memo dt.9-12-2015 to S.Christopher,
Secretary, DG DRDO.
6) On line grievance No.DDRDO/E/2016/00111 dt.20-7-16.
I have served in NSTL, DRDO for 35 years 10 months and retired on 29th Feb. 2016 as Technical Officer-B (Class-I Gazetted). I gave complaint against Sri SV Rangarajan on sexual harassment dt.18-12-2007. Without any proper enquiry, DRDO served me 3 charge sheets and suspended me for 33 months period.
Vide 2nd reference CAT stated that the pendency of disciplinary proceedings, making allegations against several officers by petitioner also cannot be a ground for extension of suspension. DRDO revoked my suspension on 7th Oct. 2011 and transferred me to NPOL, Kochi on the same day. Vide 3rd reference, on 29th Aug. 2012, High Court suspended the transfer order stating that they are prima facie of the opinion that in effect it is an act of victimization and amounts to punishment.
Vide 4th reference, DRDO stated that my joining at NSTL cannot be permitted as the Department has filed a vacate petition at AP High Court. High Court has dismissed the Vacate petition filed on transfer order suspension on 4th Feb. 2013. From 1st Nov. 2011 to 3rd March 2013 i.e., my transfer period and joining not permitted period were not regularized till date.
….2.
-: 2 :-
Vide 1st reference the Committee stated that hostile environment creation by Sri SV Rangarajan (Page No.11), DRDO is lack of sensitiveness, lack of attention to the application of rules and procedures (Page No.12), attitude and action of DRDO administration which has shown a casual and insensitive approach in dealing with the case (Page 13), DRDO and NSTL created a hostile environment in which the petitioner found it difficult to function (Page No.13) which conforms that NSTL and DRDO officials have harassed me in several aspects. No action was taken by Cabinet / Ministry on the findings of the Report.
Suspension period was regularized after my retirement (i.e, after 4 years) with imposing a penalty (though the matter is pending at High Court). Transfer period and non-posting period was not regularized so far and my pension and retirement benefits were not settled (even after 7 months of retirement) by which I am facing hardship, mental egony.
The PGPORTAL online grievance as referred 6 above also disposed off as per false and baseless information provided by Dr. Hina Gokhale, DOP, DRDO without proper investigation.
Now the organization processed the partial pension without 2 increments (2013 and 2014) for transfer period which is even less than the provision pension as per PGDA phone inquiry. Therefore, it is requested to instruct the concerned to take immediate action on the 1st reference report, Court cases, and release of proper pension and settlement of retirement benefits as early as possible (Gratuity, Commutation and Earned leave encashment).
Thanking you,
Yours faithfully,
(K.SURYA KUMARI)
Copy to
1) Dr.S.Christopher, DG (DRDO), DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi-110011.
2) Hina Gokhale, DOP, DRDO Bhavan, New Delhi-110011
By: PTI | New Delhi | Published:September 10, The New Indian Express
The deal was signed in 2008 between Embraer and the DRDO for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems).
India’s defence research agency DRDO will seek explanation and details from Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer over alleged payment of kickbacks in the USD 208-million jet deal inked during the UPA regime. After receipt of information by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), further steps may be initiated, the Defence Ministry said today after it emerged that the 2008 deal has come under the scanner of US authorities which have been probing Embraer for alleged payment of bribe to secure contracts.
“DRDO to seek explanation and details from manufacture of Embraer aircraft on media reports on aircraft deal signed in 2008. “On receipt of information by the DRDO, further steps may be initiated,” the Ministry said. The deal was signed in 2008 between Embraer and the DRDO for three aircraft equipped with indigenous radars for AEW&C (airborne early warning and control systems). The company has been under investigation by the United States Justice Department since 2010 when a contract with the Dominican Republic raised the Americans’ suspicions.
Since then, the investigation has widened to examine business dealings with eight more countries. “Investigations that have been opened by the government of the United States to establish whether Embraer paid bribes in order to obtain contracts abroad have affected deals that the Brazilian company closed with Saudi Arabia and India,” Brazalian newspaper Folha De São Paulo reported. It is suspected that a leading Indian middleman based in UK was roped in for the deal. DRDO chief S Christopher, who headed the AEW&S programme earlier, did not pick up calls or respond to messages.
Embraer is cooperating with the investigations and announced in July that it was expecting to reach a deal soon with American authorities, the paper said. The company has put USD 200 million aside to pay any eventual fines that come about as a result of the process. The company has not released details regarding the state of the investigations, but three people who have been following the case have confirmed to Folha that the deals concluded in Saudi Arabia and India are being examined, the paper reported.
In both cases, suspicions were underlined in May this year when an employee with more than 30 years at the company reached a plea-bargain agreement in investigations being conducted by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office in Brazil. Albert Phillip Close, Manager of Embraer’s defence area, told Prosecutor Marcello Miller that he had heard a former sales director who worked in Europe admit to American investigators the payment of commissions to facilitate the sale of aircraft to the Saudis.
In November of 2010, the company announced the delivery of two Embraer 170 executive jets to the Saudi Arabian
state-owned oil company Aramco. The amount of the deal was not announced at the time.
By Hemant Kumar Rout Published: 04th July 2016
BHUBANESWAR:The clarification of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on the inordinate delay in test firing of India’s most potent and longest range nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-V has put a question mark on the competency of the premier arms research and development agency.
DRDO Chief Selvin Christopher has been quoted by a news agency that Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-V has been stuck due to a technical snag with its battery and not because of any other considerations. Christopher, however, did not respond to confirm the report. Other senior scientists involved in the Agni-V programme also refused to comment.
The fourth test of the home-grown missile, already tested successfully thrice, has been postponed twice. The test holds significance as it would pave way for the missile’s early induction in the armed forces.
On May 8, The Express had run a story titled ‘PM’s US visit trips Agni-V launch plans’ citing that the test was postponed due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visit. Dismissing it, the DRDO Chief was quoted saying there is a problem with the battery and the issue can be resolved. This has, however, raised eyebrows as it appears that the organisation has failed to rectify the fault for the last several months.
Battery is required for on-board electronics which need power. Defence experts said the glitch could not be that big which will take so much time to be rectified.
As it pertains to the defence armaments of the nation, can the DRDO devote so much time for rectifying the glitch?
An eminent national security expert and professor at New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research (CPR) Bharat Karnad termed it a lame excuse by the DG of DRDO.
“The Agni-V test was originally slated during Autumn of 2015. Is it Christopher’s contention that the supposed battery ‘snag’ is so grievous in nature that ASL, Hyderabad has been unable to fix it for the last nine months?” he wondered.
Actually, Karnad observed that the clarification of the DRDO chief confirms the suspicion that Agni-V testing has been stalled for political reasons to avoid friction with the US.
Appeal to clean DRDO of corrupt and anti-national officials
