The DRDO chief V K Saraswat said that the LIC division would cater to the weapons, equipment and life support systems for the paramilitary and police forces.
“New technologies are needed for low intensity conflict and we have to pursue these technologies and create a new roadmap for the next 20 to 30 years,” Saraswat told a news-conference ahead of the annual DRDO Directors’ Conference scheduled to begin next Monday. He said that the DRDO now had a very focused programme on technologies for low-intensity conflicts.
“Most of the wars in the 20th century were low-intensity conflicts, sub-conventional war, asymmetric warfare, counter-insurgency, and terrorism. These are going to be the emerging battle scenario,” he said.
The DRDO is also consulting with the Ministry of Home Affairs to identify technology gaps that limit the security forces’ capabilities in counter-terrorism or anti-Maoist operations. Saraswat said that the DRDO would continue to play the role of a technology provider to fill “the gaps in certain areas such as foliage or ground penetration, communication, jamming and communication interception.” He said most of the LIC technologies were spin-offs of the technologies developed by the DRDO’s strategic weapons programme.
The DRDO Chief Controller W Selvamurthy said the DRDO was also working on High-Altitude Long-Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) systems. The prototype of Medium Altitude Long Endurance UAV Rustom had been flown for the first time a couple of months back, he added.
DH News Service