Focusing on Emerging Warfare, India’s DRDO Transferred 2,200 Defence Technologies to Industry: Rajnath Singh

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has transferred over 2,200 military technologies to the industry under a new Transfer of Technology policy of the Narendra Modi government, waiving the 20% fee to become development-cum-production partners.

This information was given by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Indian Army-hosted North Tech event at Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh on Monday (May 4, 2026) while underscoring the criticality of sustained focus on research and cultivating the element of surprise to stay future-ready in the present era of intense technological revolution.

Highlighting the explosive rate of technological change being witnessed in modern-day warfare, Rajnath Singh said this was in addition to the emergence of the constant “never-imagined-before” element of surprise.

“In the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the nature of warfare transformed from tanks and missiles to game-changer drones and sensors within a span of merely three or four years. Furthermore, things that are part of day-to-day life are turning into deadly weapons. The pager attacks in Lebanon and Syria have prompted a reassessment of modern warfare methods. In such a situation, we need to be prepared,” he said.

Rajnath Singh emphasised the need to adopt a proactive approach and build capabilities that enable the country, should the need arise, to launch an unexpected strike against its adversary. “History bears witness that in warfare, the decisive edge invariably belongs to the side that possesses the element of surprise. While our defence forces are already working in that direction, we must make further progress with greater proactivity,” he said.

Underlining the importance of ensuring adaptability in the present complex and rapidly evolving environment, the Defence Minister stressed that the nation that most swiftly adapts to the technological revolution holds the decisive edge in the future warfare landscape. He added that there’s no substitute for research in today’s world, and the manner in which future wars will be fought is being determined within the laboratories today.

Rajnath Singh emphasised that the government has placed defence research at the centre of its priorities and has endeavoured to take it to the next level through DRDO. “DRDO is no longer embarking on this journey alone. Guided by the mantra ‘If you want to go far, go together’, it is marching ahead hand-in-hand with a large number of industries,” he said.

He pointed out that 25% of the Defence R&D budget has been allocated to the industry, academia, and start-ups, and to date, these entities have already utilised over Rs 4,500 crore of the budget. “A new Transfer of Technology policy has been implemented, wherein the 20% fee, levied earlier, has been completely waived off for Development-cum-Production Partners, Development Partners, and Production Agencies. As a result, DRDO has, so far, transferred over 2,200 technologies to various industries,” he said.

Rajnath Singh further stated that DRDO has initiated a policy granting Indian industries free access to its patents, a move that will bolster both their technological capabilities and global competitiveness. “DRDO’s testing facilities have also been opened up for the industries on a payment basis. Every year, hundreds of industries utilise these facilities for R&D support,” he said.

He stressed that the industries must step forward and excel in areas such as Directed Energy Weapons, Hypersonic Weapons, Underwater Domain Awareness, Space Situational Awareness, Quantum Technologies, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning. He extended the government’s full support in this endeavour.

Rajnath Singh appreciated the defence forces and the industry for thoroughly analysing the evolving circumstances and ensuring India’s preparedness, describing ‘Operation Sindoor’ as a prime example of technological warfare and the nation’s readiness. “Op Sindoor demonstrated the valor and capabilities of our defence forces to the world. Cutting-edge indigenous equipment, including advanced missile systems such as Akashteer, Akash missile system, and BrahMos, was used during the operation. It served as irrefutable proof that we not only understand the evolving nature of warfare but are deploying technological advancements with unwavering confidence,” he said.

Rajnath Singh underlined that the government’s self-reliance efforts were yielding positive results as the domestic defence production has reached a record high of Rs 1.54 lakh crore in Financial Year 2025-26, with defence exports touching an all-time high figure of Rs 38,424 crore.

“This rise is poised to accelerate even more,” he said, adding that the private sector has made a significant contribution to this achievement. Recalling his recent visit to Germany, he said that foreign companies are expressing keen interest in forging partnerships with Indian defence firms, which is a testimony to the growing stature of the Indian defence industry in the international market.

The defence minister described the North Tech Symposium, themed ‘Raksha Triveni Sangam – Where Technology, Industry & Soldiering Converge’, as a significant step towards fostering innovation and advancing India’s technological and defence preparedness.

He suggested the creation of a Knowledge Corridor to enable the stakeholders to share expertise and collectively enhance capabilities across emerging and unexplored domains. “It is our collective endeavour that we establish ourselves as the most formidable military power in the world in the times to come,” he said.

During the symposium, Problem Definition Statements of Northern and Central Commands will be discussed at length by all the stakeholders with the aim of charting the way forward. These Problem Definition Statements have been prepared through a structured progression from sensing the environment’s needs, identification of tech voids considering the contemporary conflicts, and analysing and prioritising the requirements.

Eight Focus Teams have been instituted across domains to spearhead interaction with troops deployed on the ground, industry partners, and academia. As part of the symposium, an exhibition showcasing indigenous solutions from an array of participants, including MSMEs, private Defence Tech firms, start-ups, and innovators in uniform, was organised. A total of 284 companies have set up stalls to demonstrate their latest innovations and technologies.