IIT Jodhpur-DRDO set up centre for defence tech R&D

Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur (IIT Jodhpur) has collaborated with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to establish a DRDO-Industry-Academia Center of Excellence (DIA-CoE) for interdisciplinary research in next generation defence technologies.

The new centre will spearhead focused research in identified verticals, including Desert Warfare Technologies, Futuristic Omni Mobility Systems, and Artificial Intelligence for Information and Wargaming Technologies.

"We aim to utilize DIA-CoE as means for building an ecosystem comprising DRDO labs, academia, and industry. It is our wish that in the years to come, these Centres of Excellence will be like the hubs in the United States where MIT Caltech, Stanford played a big role in making the US a superpower in technology. We hope that these centres will provide us with the same impetus to build a nation that leads in technology," says Samir V. Kamat, secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO.

Under the first phase of collaboration, IIT Jodhpur and DRDO will embark on a diverse range of innovations, encompassing projects such as Multi-agent Amphibious Quadcopter System, Bioinspired Flapping Wing Model, AIOT Based Water Monitoring Technologies, Smart Apparel for Desert Warfare, and more.

Additionally, future projects in the pipeline will delve into critical areas such as Cold Plasma-based technologies, Hydrogen-based power generation systems, and Energy Harvesting for defence applications, among others.

Ravindra Kumar, former director of Defence Laboratory Jodhpur, will serve as the Director of the centre, overseeing its strategic initiatives and collaborative endeavours. DRDO will finance all research projects undertaken by the Centre, facilitating interaction between IIT Jodhpur faculty and different DRDO laboratories to identify areas of research and coordinate their execution.

"Centres like these should really evolve into hubs of R&D, addressing the defence capability needs of our country. Research is profoundly fundamental to have new technologies invented. However, it must not end with invention alone; the entire journey towards innovation, product development, and implementation is equally imperative. This holistic approach is exceptionally critical, underscoring the unique role of this centre. It transcends mere academic research, delving into real-world problems that demand solutions, yet it does not stop there—it progresses towards transformation," Santanu Chaudhury, director, IIT Jodhpur, states.

The establishment of the DIA-CoE at IIT Jodhpur, initiated through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on 6th October 2022.