Article – PMO Shocks DRDO. Orders Largest DRDO Restructuring with January Deadline

Jai Siya Ram

The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has mandated the largest restructuring of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), pushing for the rapid implementation of long-pending reforms with a deadline set for January 1, 2026.

The restructuring is based on the comprehensive recommendations of a high-level committee and is aimed at transforming the DRDO into a leaner, more accountable, and agile institution focused on core, high-end defence technology.

Key Details and Objectives of the Restructuring

The reform blueprint draws heavily from the 2023 report, “Redefining Defence Research and Development,” prepared by a committee chaired by former Principal Scientific Advisor, Prof. K. VijayRaghavan.

1. Structural Bifurcation and Focus

The plan proposes reorganising DRDO’s work into two principal verticals:

  • Department of Defence Science, Technology and Innovation (DDSTI): This new vertical will be the interface with the external ecosystem. Its primary focus will be on fostering defence R&D in academia, universities, the start-up sector, and private industry. It will also supervise autonomous bodies like the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and CEMILAC.
  • Core DRDO Laboratories: The remaining core laboratories, focused on high-end in-house projects (missiles, aero engines, radars, etc.), will remain under the DRDO Chairman. The restructuring also proposed the possible bifurcation of the DRDO Chairman’s dual role as Secretary-R&D in the Ministry of Defence to improve accountability.

2. Laboratory Consolidation and Rationalization

  • Reduction of Labs: The plan calls for the massive consolidation of DRDO’s approximately 41 laboratories into 10 national laboratories strategically located across the country (Delhi, Pune, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Chandigarh, Dehrad, and two each in Hyderabad and Bengaluru).
  • Addressing Regional Bias: This move is intended to rationalize resources, avoid the duplication of work, and correct the historical imbalance where nearly half of the R&D budget was concentrated in just two cities (Hyderabad and Bengaluru).

3. Maximizing External Participation

  • National Test Facilities: Four National Test Facilities will be created and made accessible to private firms and startups. This aligns with the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) vision by lowering capital expenditure barriers for the private defence industry and accelerating indigenous development.
  • R&D Role: DRDO’s role is to be limited primarily to fundamental and applied R&D, with greater responsibility for systems integration and product manufacturing being shifted to other agencies and the private sector.

4. The Deadline and Implementation

  • The Deadline: The PMO has set a clear and urgent deadline to complete the entire restructuring process before January 1, 2026, which coincides with DRDO’s 68th Foundation Day.
  • The Need for Reform: The VijayRaghavan committee’s findings indicated that roughly 60% of DRDO’s project delays stem from internal shortcomings, such as the absence of critical technologies, and another 17-18% from frequent requirement changes by the Armed Forces.
  • PMO Supervision: A senior official from the Indian Foreign Service (IFS) in the PMO, who was involved in the restructuring of ISRO and BARC, is leading the push to overcome the bureaucratic resistance that had previously stalled the reforms.

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