Epaper
The Defence Research and Development Orgaanization (DRDO) is a government body responsible for the development of technology for use by the ‘Indian Armed Forces.’
Understandably, it is a huge organization employing nearly 7800 scientists with 52 labs and ‘R&D’ projects worth nearly Rs 48000 crore.
Unfortunately, the organization has a long history of failing to deliver cutting edge weapon systems to the armed forces in time.
Thanks to the lethargy of the DRDO, India is today one of the largest importer of arms in the world which means a serious drain on the economy.
India imports 65% of its defence requirements. Suffice to say that steeped in Red-tapism and bureaucracy, DRDO has fallen way short of its expectations.
Modi has now decided that enough is enough and wants India to become self-sufficient in developing state-of-the art weaponry.
He has earnestly set about reforming the decadent structure of DRDO and as a first step has sacked Mr. Avinash Chander as the Director even though the latter had another sixteen months in office.
Chander had retired in November last year on turning 64 but, in keeping with the order passed by the UPA regime in May 2013, was scheduled to continue as DRDO chief till May 2016 on a contractual basis.
Seeking to downplay the controversy over sudden sacking of Avinash Chander, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday said that he had recommended that the top position should be held by someone from a “slightly younger generation” and not by someone who was on contract.
“Such senior positions should not be on contract. There are so many eligible persons, we will find someone good from the DRDO, senior most person of a cluster head will head the organization,” said Manohar Parrikar.
