Missile export on cards

DRDO Research and Development Chief Controller Prahlada said the organisation is exploring the possibility of exporting its missiles Akash and Nag besides the Light Combat Aircraft (Trainer) among others.

If not immediately the organisation would begin exporting at some point, he said adding that they would consider different business models to do the same.

Besides, DRDO is also planning to float a commercial arm by the end of this year, to put in place a concrete marketing and commercialisation approach facilitate exporting of its products.

DRDO and industry body Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) already have a franchise type arrangement, through which DRDO is marketing around 10 products to the industry.

Further, he said one of the countries has expressed interest to market its battlefield surveillance radar and if the deal comes through, the order would be worth hundreds of crores.

Moreover, while conceding that more and more private players could get room to play an effective role in defence manufacturing and development, he said DRDO’s role in the next 10-15 years would be limited to being an advisory body in government R&D areas.

The Department of Science and Technology and Planning Commission were in a dialogue to put in place a formal mechanism to capitalise on the R&D in DRDO, Isro and Department of Atomic Energy to non-strategic departments, state governments and districts, he added.