The tenure of Dr Samir V Kamat as Chairman of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D), has been extended for a second time by the Government of India.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved this extension, allowing Dr Kamat to continue in his dual roles from June 1, 2025, until May 31, 2026, or until further orders, whichever comes earlier. This follows his initial appointment to the top post in August 2022 and a previous one-year extension that was set to end on May 31, 2025.

Dr Kamat is widely recognized as a reformer within DRDO, known for his focus on strengthening core science and technology capabilities and for driving reforms aimed at making the organization more result-oriented. His leadership has been pivotal in advancing India’s indigenous defence technologies, particularly in missile systems, aerospace, unmanned platforms, and advanced materials, in alignment with the government’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India) vision.

An alumnus of IIT-Kharagpur (B.Tech in Metallurgical Engineering, 1985) and The Ohio State University, USA (PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, 1988), Dr Kamat joined DRDO in 1989. Over his distinguished career, he has provided leadership and direction to several critical materials and systems programs, including:

Development of high-strength steels for naval ship hulls
High-temperature titanium and nickel-based superalloys for aero engines
Tungsten heavy alloys for kinetic energy penetrators
Fused silica Radomes for missile seekers
Armour solutions for personnel and combat vehicles
Stealth materials for airborne and naval applications

Many of these innovations have been successfully integrated into DRDO’s operational systems.

Dr Kamat has also led the development of advanced naval systems such as lightweight torpedoes, anti-torpedo decoy systems, autonomous underwater vehicles, advanced sonar systems, and fuel cell-based air-independent propulsion for submarines. His contributions have been instrumental in enhancing India’s self-reliance in critical defence technologies.

A Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) and the Institution of Engineers India (IEI), Dr Kamat has received several prestigious awards, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from IIT Kharagpur, the Metallurgist of the Year Award from the Ministry of Steel, and DRDO’s Scientist of the Year Award. He has published over 180 papers in international peer-reviewed journals.

The government’s decision to extend Dr Kamat’s tenure is seen as a move to ensure continuity in the ongoing reform process within DRDO, especially in the wake of recommendations by a high-level committee for restructuring the organization and making it more agile and efficient. Dr Kamat’s continued leadership is expected to further strengthen DRDO’s strategic initiatives and support India’s defence modernization efforts.

Agencies