Pune: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman Dr Samir V Kamat on Thursday said there was need to identify future technology and evolve a road map for futuristic development in high energy and special materials.

Kamat, also secretary of the Department of Defence R&D, was speaking after inaugurating the International Workshop on High Energy and Special Materials (HEMs-2023), which comprised lectures by eminent personalities from Germany, Russia, DRDO as well several firms.

Addressing the session attended by the student community, industry and other research organizations from all over the country and abroad, Kamat emphasized the need to identify future technology and to evolve the road map for futuristic development in high energy and special materials.

He asked them to deliberate for the design and realization of projects for future technologies, adding that focus must be on the need for collaborative research work with the participation of private industry, academia, foreign partners, and DRDO.

Dr Boris Pevchenko, DG, JSC, FR&PC Russia said this conference platform should be used for the exploration of cutting-edge technologies, deliberations on innovative aspects of HEMs as well as initiatives for collaborative developments.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Kamat, when asked about 23 of the DRDO’s 55 high-priority projects getting delayed, said every project has a probable deadline for completion.

“When we take up a project, we say we are likely to complete it by so and so date. But when we start executing such R&D projects, there are chances of many technical challenges which make us go through iteration. During the test and evaluation, issues come up and that is why some projects get delayed,” he pointed out.

The projects include developing anti-air field weapons, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range radars, combat vehicles, combat suits for submarines, and submarine periscopes, among others.

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt had provided the details in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha earlier this year.

Kamat said they would complete the projects, adding it is an ongoing process.

They are looking into why these projects got delayed and strengthening the processes to ensure it does not happen in the future is underway, he added.