India’s DRDO Inducted Equipment Worth $27 Billion In Defense Services

India’s Defense Research Development Organization (DRDO) inducted over INR, 1.8 lakh crore (US $27 billion) in systems, products and technologies into services or in the process of production.

In a written reply to Lok Sabha, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said Friday that “the inductions include combat vehicles, missiles, multi-barrel rocket launcher, unmanned aerial vehicles, radars, electronic warfare systems, sonars, torpedos, among others.”

He said that the delays in some of the projects occur due to technology denials, challenges, rigorous user trials and production challenges.

In a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the agency has picked up holes in the Mission Mode Projects, being handled by the various laboratories of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

"Audit examination of 14 Mission Mode Projects carried out by DRDO Laboratories revealed that all projects failed to achieve their timelines and the probable date of completion (PDC) was extended many a times," a CAG report tabled in Parliament said today.

The delays were mainly due to inadequate monitoring by different committees as well as to change of requirement by IAF, at least in three projects, said the report.

"Lack of harmonisation, where multiple agencies were involved, was also noticed in two projects," the report said, adding that the projects were not carried out in the spirit of Mission Mode, which adversely affected the Air Defence plans of IAF.

Responding to CAG over the issue of delays and cost overruns, the DRDO stated that in 11 out of 14 projects, it was due to erroneous estimate of probable date of completion (PDC) by the laboratories, as time required for user trials was not taken into consideration while projecting PDC, non-availability of platform for fitment for user trial and change in specification by the user.

The organisation also said that cost escalation was due to additional modifications and change in specifications, which cannot be attributed only to DRDO as other agencies were also involved.