Tag Archives: Defence Research

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Avinash Chander is new DRDO chief

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– The Hindu -NEW DELHI, June 1, 2013

TH31_AVINASH_CHAND_1472913f
Avinash Chander, the man behind Agni series of missiles, was on Friday appointed as the new Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and Director-General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). He will also hold the post of Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development. He succeeds V. K. Saraswat, whose term ended on Friday.

“I feel honoured to take up this new responsibility. Dr. Saraswat has set DRDO on a good course. I have to continue and take it to the next level,’’ said Dr. Chander.

Dr. Chander, who was recently awarded Padma Shri, was behind the successful development of 5000-km range Agni-V, enabling the nation to join the elite club of five advanced nations. Development of Agni missiles in highly restrictive international control regimes was possible only out of his technology, perspective planning and efforts. He created the infrastructure, industry base, production lines, and integration facilities to produce different classes of Agni missile systems, a DRDO release said here.

Dr. Chander’s pioneering research in innovative energy management guidance system enabled utilisation of solid propulsion, the main thrust and the backbone of the long-range missile system. Under his leadership, DRDO developed critical technologies such as composite rocket motors and advanced high accuracy navigation system. He also laid the technology road map for missile complex laboratories and led the R&D in the advanced navigation systems, onboard computers, servo valves and seekers.

Dr. Chander joined DRDO in 1972 after completing graduation in Electrical Engineering from IIT Delhi. He is a fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineers.
Priorities

Y. Mallikarjun reports from Hyderabad:

Dr. Chander told The Hindu before leaving for Delhi DRDO had lot of commitments and among the immediate priorities were the induction of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas by next year-end and of Agni-V in the next two years.

Dr. Chander, who obtained M.S. in Spatial Information Technology from JNTU, Hyderabad, is also Vice-President of the Aeronautical Society of India. He has received numerous awards and honours, including DRDO Scientist of the year and Agni Self-Reliance Award.

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Chinese hackers merrily go through thousands of secret files of DRDO missile systems in Guangdong:report

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India TV webteam [ Updated 13 Mar 2013, 07:21:39 ]

New Delhi, Mach 13: Chinese hackers have breached the systems of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) leading to the leak of thousands of top secret files related to Cabinet Committee on Security, which have been detected to have been uploaded on a server in Guangdong, the Mumbai newspaper DNA reported.

The report says this is the biggest security breach in the Indian defence establishment.

The breach was detected in the first week of this month when officials from India’s technical itelligence wing, NTRO (National Technical Research Organisation), working with private Indian cyber security experts cracked open a file called “army cyber policy”.

The file was found attacked to hacked email accounts of senior DRDO officials that quickly spread through the system in a matter of seconds, says the DNA report.

As Indian security experts began to track its origin, they discovered, for the first time, that all the sensitive files stolen from the infected systems were beingu ploaded on a server in Guangdong province of China.

So far, Indian intelligence had never been able to pinpoint a hacking attack with such accuracy.

Indian cyber security experts discovered thousands of top secret CCS files, and other documents related to surface-to-air missile and radar programmes from DRDL, a DRDO lab based in Hyderabad, among many other establishments.

Even the e-tickets of DRDO scientists who had travelled to Delhi in February were found on the server.

Intelligence officials also discovered documents of deals struck between DRDO and Bharat Dyamics Ltd, a defence PSU which makes strategic missiles and components.

Other recovered files related to price negotiations with MBDA, a French missile manufacturing company.

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Chinese hackers breach DRDO security, steal thousands of secret files

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13 Mar 2013 10:59:10 AM IST

The official website of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) once again came under the cyber attack unleashed by the Chinese hackers.
According to the Mumbai newspaper DNA, Chinese hackers breached the security of DRDO website and accessed thousands of top secret files.

As par the report, the top secret files related to Cabinet Committee on Security have been uploaded on a server based in Guangdong.

The report claims that this is the biggest security breach in the Indian defence establishment.

The hacking incident came to the fore in the first week of this month when officials from India’s technical intelligence wing, National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO), along with private Indian cyber security experts cracked open a file called “army cyber policy”.

The DNA report claimed that the file was found attacked to hacked email accounts of senior DRDO officials that quickly spread through the system in a matter of seconds.

Later, the NTRO found that all the sensitive files stolen from the infected systems were being uploaded on a server in Guangdong province of China.

For the first time, Indian cyber intelligence team has successfully tracked the hacking location.

Indian cyber security experts discovered thousands of top secret CCS files, and other documents related to surface-to-air missile and radar programmes from DRDL, a DRDO lab based in Hyderabad, among many other establishments.

Even the e-tickets of DRDO scientists who had travelled to Delhi in February were found on the server.

Intelligence officials also discovered documents of deals struck between DRDO and Bharat Dyamics Ltd, a defence PSU which makes strategic missiles and components.

Other recovered files related to price negotiations with MBDA, a French missile manufacturing company.

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Nearly 700 scientists quit DRDO in six years, says Govt

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NEW DELHI, December 5, 2012 – THE HINDU

Scientists install a DRDO-developed bio-toilet in the icy vastness of Siachen. File photo: DRDO

Nearly 700 scientists have resigned from India’s premier military research body DRDO in little less than six years from 2007, Defence Minister A K Antony said on Wednesday.

In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha on resignation of scientists from Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO), Mr. Antony said a total of 637 scientists resigned during 2007-2011 and 50 scientists up to October 31 this year.

Scientists who had resigned have either cited personal or domestic reasons for leaving DRDO, Mr. Antony said.

However, it is assumed that increased opportunities or incentives available in other organisations and industries are the main reason of such resignation, he added.

On incentives taken as corrective measures to restrict resignation of scientists from DRDO, Mr. Antony said excellent infrastructure facilities have been created at work places and residential complexes and two additional increments have been given on promotion to each grade.

To another question, Mr. Antony said DRDO is a subordinate organisation under Defence Ministry and does not enjoy any special powers or autonomy because of its strategic nature of work.

Asked whether DRDO enjoys a huge amount of autonomy because of its strategic nature of work, he said, “DRDO is a subordinate organisation under the Department of Defence( R&D) in Defence Ministry and is governed by central government rules and regulations.

“Therefore, DRDO as an organisation does not enjoy any special powers or autonomy because of its strategic nature of work.”

Revised delegation of financial powers of Director General of DRDO was carried out in 2010 to address a long standing requirement and was done after due process and deliberation, he said.

“The process of exercise of these powers has been further rationalised and a corrigendum has been issued by Department of Defence (R&D) on November 21, 2012 as a partial modification to the earlier financial powers,” the minister added.

____________________________________________________________

Question and Answer in  RAJYA SABHA

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
RAJYA SABHA

QUESTION NO 1295
ANSWERED ON 05.12.2012

Resignation of scientists from DRDO

1295 SHRI DILIPBHAI PANDYA

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to satate :-

(a) whether it is a fact that about 650 scientists have resigned from their posts in Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) during the last five years;

(b) if so, the year-wise and post-wise details thereof;

(c) whether low emoluments in DRDO are the reasons for their resignation; and

(d) if so, what corrective steps are taken / proposed to be taken by Government to persuade the scientists not to resign?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF DEFENCE
(SHRI A.K. ANTONY)

(a) A total of 637 scientists have resigned during 2007-2011 and 50 scientists upto 31st October 2012.

(b) Year-wise and post-wise details are given below:-

Post Year
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
(as on 31st October 2012)
Scientist ‘B’ 166 78 41 38 58 35
Scientist ‘C’ 86 58 18 18 21 12
Scientist ‘D’ 13 8 2 2 5 3
Scientist ‘E’ 2 5 1 3 1 –
Scientist ‘F’ 6 1 3 2 1 –
Total 273 150 65 63 86 50

No Scientist ‘G’, Scientists ‘H’ and Distinguished Scientist have resigned during 2007-2012.

(c) Scientists who had resigned have indicated their personal / domestic grounds as the reasons for leaving DRDO. However, it is assumed that increased opportunities / incentives available in other organizations / industries is the main reason of such resignation.

(d) The following incentives have been granted as corrective measures to restrict resignation of scientists from DRDO:-

• Two additional increments on promotion to each Grade.
• Up to six variable increments on promotion granted on fast track.
• Professional update allowance to all scientists.
• Fast track promotions through assessments.
•Opportunity to acquire higher qualifications at reputed institutes viz. IIT’s / IISc, etc. as DRDO sponsored candidate.
•Young Scientists, Scientist of the Year and other DRDO Awards in recognition to their contributions, etc.
• Excellent infrastructure facilities have been created at work places and residential complexes.

Government is making all efforts to grant Performance Related Incentive Scheme (PRIS) to DRDO scientists at par with scientists of Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) and Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

 

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Restricting financial powers of Chief of DRDO

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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
RAJYA SABHA
QUESTION NO 1286
ANSWERED ON 05.12.2012

Restricting financial powers of Chief of DRDO

1286 SHRI NAND KUMAR SAI

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to satate :-

(a) whether Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) enjoys a huge amount of autonomy because of it strategic nature of work;

(b) if so, the details in this regard;

(c) whether Government proposes to impose any restrictions on the financial powers of Chief of Defence Research and Development Organisation;

(d) if so, the details in this regard; and

(e) if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF DEFENCE
(SHRI A.K. ANTONY)

(a) Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is a subordinate Organisation under the Department of Defence R&D in the Ministry of Defence and is governed by Central Government rules and regulations. Therefore, DRDO as an Organisation does not enjoy any special powers or autonomy because of its strategic nature of work.

(b) In view of the reply given at (a) above, Question does not arise.

(c) to (e): Financial powers of DG DRDO are being exercised by the Secretary, Defence R&D in the capacity of higher Competent Financial Authority (CFA) with the concurrence of Additional Financial Adviser (R&D) in the Ministry of Defence (Finance), pending final decision by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on implementation of Rama Rao Committee recommendations. Revised delegation of financial powers of DG DRDO was carried out in 2010 to address a long standing requirement and was done after due process and deliberation. The process of exercise of these powers has been further rationalized and, to this effect, a corrigendum has been issued by Department of Defence (R&D) on 21st November 2012 as a partial modification to the earlier financial powers as issued on 30th July 2010.

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CAG pulls up DRDO for irregularities in new projects

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Agencies : New Delhi, Thu Nov 29 2012, 20:41 hrs The Indian Express

The CAG has pulled up the DRDO pointing out “deficiencies” and “procedural irregularities” committed by it in taking up new projects and splitting sanctions for them to bring it within financial powers of the organisation head.

“Scrutiny of project sanctions issued by DRDO revealed procedural irregularities relating to misleading nomenclature of sanction issuing authorities, absence of data base of sanctions and splitting of sanctions,” the CAG said in its report tabled in the Parliament today.

“The above audit findings underscore that the efforts of the Ministry of Defence to bring in transparency and objectivity in functioning of its departments remain unachieved as of now,” the report said.

The CAG noted that financial powers of Director General, DRDO and Secretary, Defence Research and Development were enhanced to the range of Rs 25 crore to 50 crore and Rs 60 crore to 75 crore respectively and both these offices are held by one person only.

“Audit of sanctions revealed non-adherence with established norms and procedures for issue, circulation and recording of sanctions authorising expenditure out of public funds for various purposes,” the report said.

On the splitting of sanctions, the Government auditor said, “We observed that after the enhanced delegation of financial powers in July 2010, sanctions were spilt up to bring them within the delegated financial powers of the DG R and D (DRDO Chief) that is up to Rs 50 crore in consultation with the Integrated Financial Advisor.

” “DRDO splitting such sanctions is tantamount to selecting financial advisor which clearly erodes the integrity and independence of financial scrutiny of expenditure proposals,” the report said.

The CAG noted that in some cases, the cost of DRDO projects was brought down below Rs 50 crore by reducing the number of deliverables and curtailing its scope enabling the DG, DRDO to issue the sanction within his delegated powers.

“Clearly projects were being split up to keep the sanction below Rs 50 crore,” it said.

The report said, “instead of obtaining the revised sanction for existing projects by approaching the competent financial authority at the next higher level, fresh projects were sanctioned.”

The project cases cited by the CAG included the Project Akashdeep of DRDO for developing indigenous Aerostat radars and Project ADITYA for the vehicles mounted high power laser directed energy weapons.

The report said the enhancement of delegated financial powers has resulted in concentration of financial powers with the DRDO headquarters which has a “tendency to split projects to avoid reference to higher CFAs.

” The CAG also noted that the DRDO “did not maintain a control register of sanctions issued and there excited no mechanism to track the number and total amount of sanctions issued for projects.”

“In absence of minimum control records, the possibility of sanctions being issued in excess of funds, splitting of sanctions, issue of multiple projects for the same objective could neither be ruled out nor noticed in normal course,” the report observed.

In the recent past, an internal audit report of the Defence Ministry had made similar observations there which were refuted by the DRDO saying they were only preliminary in nature.

 

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Bangalore: Family of terror suspect opposes arrest

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IBN Karnataka | Posted on Aug 31, 2012 at 08:25am IST

Bangalore: The father of one of the 11 men arrested by the Bangalore Police on Wednesday on charges of having links with terror groups Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the HuJI and plotting attacks on MPs, MLAs and journalists, has said that the family wasn’t informed his arrest. The man worked as an engineer at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

“We didn’t get any message of his arrest. The police did not give any information about his whereabouts. My elder son works at the DRDO. His name his Ajaz,” said AM Mirza.
The Bangalore Police on Wednesday arrested 11 people, including a journalist with a popular English daily, for suspected terror links. Sources said the arrests were made as the eleven were planning to kill a prominent columnist with a Kannada newspaper, who had written an anti-Islam article, said Karnataka DGP Lalrokhuma Pachau.
Addressing a press conference, Commissioner of Police, Bangalore, JP Mirji said a foreign-made pistol and other incriminating evidence were recovered from them.
Mirji added that those arrested have links with Saudi Arabia-based LeT and HuJI and it is suspected that they have more supporters in other states. “Targeting individuals could have created communal tension,” he said.
Mirji said more details could not be revealed at the time as investigations were still on.
Sources say that the Uttar Pradesh Police provided their Bangalore counterparts the intelligence about the terror group, which has links with Indian Mujahideen. Sources add that the questioning of those arrested is on.
At least three of the arrests were made in Hubli in north Karnataka.
Meanwhile, four suspected Indian Mujahideen activists involved in the 2010 Chinnaswamy Stadium blast case were detained in Bangalore on Thursday for questioning, police said.
Fifteen people were injured when two bombs exploded at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 18, 2010 on the eve of the Bangalore-Mumbai IPL semifinal match.
Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Director General of Police Lalrokhuma Pachau said backgrounds of those picked up was being checked.

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India’s first aerostat radar launched

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Indo-Asian News Service | Updated: December 28, 2010 18:47 IST

Agra: India’s first indigenously-developed balloon-mounted radar that will greatly enhance the surveillance capabilities of the armed forces has been successfully launched.

The aerostat radar was launched from a military compound and will remain at a height of about one kilometre for the next two or three days. All its systems are working satisfactorily, Sudhir Gupta, the project director said.

The helium-filled aerostat has night vision cameras and sound recorders, weighs around 300 kg, and can be reused.

Gupta said the aerostat can survey areas upto 20 km away and with advanced cameras, its range can go beyond 100 km.

At the initiative of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Agra based Aerial Delivery Research Development Establishment designed and fabricated the high-tech platform.

The aerostat will be used for communication and surveillance. The platform integrates high-end technology, aerodynamics, balloon techniques, hydraulics and high-pressure cylinder technology, according to the scientists involved in the project.

The Indian army and air force hitherto rely on Israeli aerostats that are deployed along the country’s western borders but the Indian version would be a cheaper option. They supplement the efforts of the air force’s airborne warning and control systems (AWACS) that fly at a much greater height.

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DRDO muddles through 439 projects

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DRDO muddles through 439 projects

Rajat Pandit, TNN Aug 16, 2006, 03.01am IST

NEW DELHI: From missiles, radars and electronic warfare programmes to even juices, mosquito repellents and titanium dental implants, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) does it all. And, by and large, flounders in them all, with technical glitches, time and cost overruns.

Amid growing demand by armed forces and experts that DRDO “concentrate” only on “a few core and critical areas” to bolster the country’s defence preparedness, latest statistics show the organisation has as many as 439 ongoing projects at a total cost of a whopping Rs 16,925 crore. “DRDO, with around 29,000 personnel in 50 laboratories and establishments under its umbrella, certainly needs to get its act together. Not even 10% of its total budget (DRDO got Rs 5,454 crore in 2006-07) is spent on fundamental research,” says a senior defence official.

Adds an Army officer, “What is the use of having such a huge defence R&D set-up if it cannot even come up with basics like good bullet-proof jackets, webbing and light-weight ballistic helmets. Even the systems they manage to deliver to us suffer from operational problems.”

The long-standing aim to take the country towards self-reliance in military capabilities, of course, remains a mere pipedream. If in 1991-92, 25% of India’s total defence expenditure was spent on imports, the case remains the same even now.

DRDO, of course, has to contend with inadequate funds, with its allocation hovering just around 6% of the total defence budget. Moreover, it’s not able to attract top scientific talent in the absence of good career prospects and other incentives.

But even Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently told DRDO he was “concerned by the problems of cost and time-overruns, which have plagued our defence industry for decades now”.

Consequently, it’s no wonder that the armed forces prefer the import route because of DRDO’s long track-record of delivering too-little, too-late. Of the 439 projects, for instance, the really big ones number around 20. But the progress in them, more or less, has been shoddy.

The Arjun main-battle tank project, for one, was sanctioned way back in 1974. After spending a huge amount of money, the first five Arjun tanks are still being tested for battle-worthiness, with the Army not too keen to induct them.

Similar is the story with Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, sanctioned in 1983 to replace the country’s ageing MiG fleet. Though its prototypes have completed over 530 flights, IAF is not fully convinced yet whether it will induct them by even 2012. This when government has already sanctioned Rs 5489.78 crore for Tejas till now.

The country’s integrated guided missile development programme, which kicked off in 1983, has only now shown some progress, with a few Prithvi and Agni missile variants being inducted into the armed forces.

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Antony tells defence PSUs to get their act together

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Antony tells defence PSUs to get their act together

TNN Feb 15, 2007, 01.36am IST

NEW DELHI: Perform or perish. defence minister A K Antony used the platform of an awards function on Wednesday to deliver this blunt message to defence PSUs, ordnance factories and, of course, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

In fact, the minister virtually asked DRDO — which is into making juices and mosquito repellents as well as tanks and missiles, as earlier reported by TOI — to concentrate only on “high-technology” areas of “strategic importance”.

“I am not satisfied with the work of some PSUs, ordnance factories and others. They must change. Otherwise, it will become difficult for them to survive in this era of competition,”said Antony, addressing an audience of chiefs and chairpersons of defence PSUs, shipyards and DRDO.

After handing over “awards for excellence”to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and Bharat Electronics Ltd, which are being conferred with the “navratna” status, Antony said defence organisations “must adapt and transform to the changing environment of the defence industry brought about by globalisation”.