DRDO to retain DFRL in its stable

According to highly placed sources in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the organisation has made a decision to retain Mysore-based DFRL under its umbrella.

The proposal to move DFRL was made in a report in May this year, which also recommends a restructure of DRDO so as to make it more focused on critical technology areas of weaponry.

The role of DFRL is to supply ready-to-eat rations to soldiers in forward areas and those deployed in extreme conditions. The laboratory has passed on all its food-processing technologies to industries through “transfer of technology”.

The decision to retain DFRL comes, even as a faction within the DRDO had felt that the move to shift DFRL was right, assuming more importance thereby. They had cited overlapping of work as the prime reason.

Sources also said the army is also backing the organisation in retaining the laboratory within its stable. “Some of the top brass from the army also agree with us and believe that DFRL should continue to operate with the DRDO,” they said.