About 

• Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) is the R&D wing of Ministry of Defence. 
• Headquartered in New Delhi, DRDO was formed in 1958 by amalgamating the Defence Science Organisation and a few technical development establishments. 
• DRDO has a network of laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.

Achievements of DRDO

• Since being set up, DRDO has achieved many successes in developing major systems and critical technologies like aircraft avionics, UAVs, small arms, artillery systems, tanks and armoured vehicles, sonar systems, command and control systems and missile systems.
• In 2016, DRDO successfully tested its first indigenously developed heavy-duty drone, Rustom 2, which is an unmanned armed combat vehicle developed on the lines of the US’s Predator drone. 
• DRDO co-developed INS Arihant, India’s first nuclear ballistic missile submarine, which became operational in 2018. 
• In 2019, DRDO developed India’s first anti-satellite system that made India one of the space superpowers. 
• DRDO has developed several ballistic missiles under its Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, which includes missiles like Prithvi, Trishul, Agni, Akash and Nag.
• DRDO also played a key role in the indigenous development and production of strategic systems and platforms light combat aircraft, Tejas; multi-barrel rocket launcher, Pinaka; a wide range of radars and electronic warfare systems; etc.,