DRDO to play key role in Sudarshan Chakra air defence initiative: Rajnath Singh

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh connected Thursday (January 1, 2026) said the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) volition play a pivotal relation successful the instauration of Sudarshan Chakra, an ambitious aerial defence inaugural announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day 2025 code from the Red Fort

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Mr. Singh was addressing scientists and elder officials during his sojourn to the DRDO office successful New Delhi connected the juncture of the organisation’s 68th Foundation Day. Under the Sudarshan Chakra initiative, the DRDO volition equip captious installations crossed the state with precocious aerial defence systems for broad aerial extortion implicit the adjacent decade.

Highlighting the lessons from Operation Sindoor, the Minister said modern warfare underscores the value of robust and reliable aerial defence capabilities. The DRDO would execute the objectives of the Sudarshan Chakra inaugural with dedication and urgency, strengthening India’s preparedness against evolving aerial threats, helium said.

Weapon systems developed by the DRDO played a decisive relation during Operation Sindoor, helium said, underlining the organisation’s professionalism and committedness to safeguarding nationalist interests. Commending the DRDO for importantly bolstering India’s indigenous defence capabilities, helium said the state-of-the-art technologies and instrumentality supplied to the equipped forces performed seamlessly during the operation. He noted that their reliable show boosted the morale of soldiers and demonstrated the increasing maturity of India’s defence probe ecosystem.

Mr. Singh praised the DRDO not lone arsenic a exertion creator but besides arsenic a spot builder, stating that the organisation had emerged arsenic a awesome of hope, certainty, and content for the nation. He acknowledged the DRDO’s expanding collaboration with the backstage sector, academia, start-ups, and MSMEs (micro, tiny and mean enterprises), which has contributed to the instauration of a synergistic and vibrant defence ecosystem.

Visible improvements crossed processes — from procurement and task absorption to manufacture engagement— had made systems faster, easier, and much reliable, helium said.

Calling upon the DRDO to stay aligned with the rapidly evolving planetary technological landscape, Mr. Singh urged the organisation to proceed focusing connected innovation, heavy tech, and adjacent procreation technologies.

Emphasising the request for continuous learning and development, helium said exertion scanning, capableness assessment, and aboriginal readiness are indispensable to guarantee India remains prepared for emerging warfare domains.

During the visit, Samir V. Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and Chairman of the DRDO, briefed the Minister connected the organisation’s achievements successful 2025, ongoing R&D activities, initiatives involving manufacture and start-ups, and the roadmap, cardinal targets, and reforms planned for 2026 to further fortify the organisation.