The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) joined hands to work in electronics warfare, AI-driven surveillance, power systems and radar systems.

The DRDO handed nine sanctioned projects from the ECS (Electronics and Communication Systems) Cluster to IIT Bhubaneswar. Another seven projects are in process to be sanctioned with ₹18 crore funding. IIT Bhubaneswar will work on these sanctioned projects. A collaboration meeting was held on Tuesday.

Informing about this association with DRDO, Director, IIT Bhubaneswar, Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar said: “The IITs across the country have moved beyond knowledge generation and knowledge dissemination to knowledge application, wealth generation through start-ups and entrepreneurship and producing quality teachers. In such a scenario, collaborations with DRDO for research in the field of defence mechanism and technology will pave a new path towards excellence.”

Head of the school, electrical sciences, IIT, Prof S.R. Samantaray said: “The collaboration will contribute to the emerging research and development need of defence applications, creating a platform for ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’. This form of collaboration will enhance the sustainability of defence research programs and will be part of the eco-system for nation building.”

Director general of the ECS Cluster, DRDO, Dr Binay K. Das said: “This collaboration between the ECS Cluster, DRDO and IIT Bhubaneswar is intended towards working for a common cause to fulfil the future needs of the country in defence technology.”