The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has awarded Mangalore-based Zupple Labs Pvt Ltd a Technology Development Fund (TDF) project titled ‘Security Analysis and Auditing of Blockchain’, marking a significant step towards establishing standards for the use of blockchain technologies in defence applications.

The project will be executed under the DRDO TDF program, with the organisation’s Scientific Analysis Group (SAG) serving as the nodal laboratory. The initiative is intended to support the standardisation, evaluation and security assessment of blockchain technologies before they are deployed in sensitive defence environments.

Zupple Labs, a Start-Up specialising in digital credentials and enterprise-grade blockchain solutions, has been selected to develop a structured framework capable of assessing the security, reliability and resilience of blockchain-based systems intended for defence use.

According to Neil Kevin Martis, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Zupple Labs, blockchain technology could begin finding wider adoption across the defence sector in the coming years. However, he pointed out that there is currently no recognised framework for evaluating blockchain applications being developed or deployed for military purposes.

“Defence sector could start adopting blockchain for various use cases in the next few years. However, there is no standard framework to evaluate the applications being developed or deployed in defence sector,” Martis said.

Explaining a potential use case, he noted that defence forces may require highly secure blockchain-enabled platforms to track supply-chain items across the country. Such systems could offer stronger integrity and traceability than conventional digital platforms when handling sensitive logistics and operational data.

Martis also highlighted that many Indian government organisations cannot operate on public blockchain networks because of security and sovereignty requirements. Instead, they are more likely to rely on private blockchain systems that can be customised and operated as secure internal networks.

He stressed that any blockchain-based system intended for defence deployment would need to pass a series of rigorous tests before being commissioned. The absence of common testing and certification standards has been a major gap in the blockchain ecosystem.

“Even if the defence forces want to implement such a system, it has to undergo a series of standard tests before it is commissioned,” he said.

The project therefore seeks to create a standardised platform through which defence-grade blockchain applications can be evaluated, audited and graded against defined security benchmarks. Such a framework could help establish confidence in future blockchain deployments across defence and strategic government organisations.

Blockchain technology is increasingly being explored for applications involving secure record management, identity verification, logistics tracking and tamper-resistant data sharing. However, experts note that vulnerabilities can still emerge through software implementation, access controls, network configurations and smart-contract architecture, making independent security auditing essential before operational deployment.

Zupple Labs currently provides blockchain-powered trust infrastructure for governments and institutions across four countries. Its solutions are used to secure and authenticate critical records, including educational certificates, identities, permits, land records and work orders.

The DRDO award underscores the growing role of Indian Start-Ups in developing indigenous cyber-security and digital-trust technologies for national security applications, while strengthening India’s efforts to build sovereign and secure blockchain capabilities for future defence requirements.

Agencies