DRDO has been strategically endeavoring to establish the directed research ecosystem through academic, start-ups and industry collaboration with a vision to make India a global technology leader in conceiving and developing next generation defence technologies. Through a network of DRDO Industry Academia-Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoEs), DRDO is funding multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary directed research projects to Academia, National Research Institutes and start-ups/Industry to develop cutting edge defence technologies and accelerate the self-reliance in defence and security.
A Long Term Directed Research Policy (LT-DRP) has been formulated and released for Long-Term engagement of academia, research institutes and startups/industries. The policy has a collaborative framework for planning and implementing directed research for developing futuristic defence technologies by bringing together all stake-holders atunified platform through DIA-CoEs.
DFTM is chartered to focus on translational research for developing the crucial and futuristic technologies in identified research domains. DFTM undertakes the following major activities to plan, implement and manage the directed research collaboratively:
- Identify crucial & futuristic technologies and associated technology gaps with TRL
- Work out research problems and definitions with broad technical specifications related to identified technologies/technology gaps for collaborative directed R&D
- Establish DIA-CoEs
- Identify and establish the state-of-the-art research facilities at DIA-CoEs
- Engage startups / industries for innovative technology development at DIA-CoEs
- Facilitate international research collaboration through DIA-CoEs
- Coordinate with Scientific & Research organisations for resources at national level
- Enter into contract with identified agencies/consortiums and coordinate for achieving the desired objectives
DRDO technology requirement driven directed research has been providing impetus to translational research through DIA-CoEs. DRDOis continuously intensifying its collaboration to build advanced technology capability for developing indigenous futuristic defence applications.