Parliament Question: Delay in Defence Pilot Projects

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEFENCE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3222 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08th AUGUST, 2025 DELAY IN DEFENCE PILOT PROJECTS

3222. SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B:

SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH:

SHRI SURESH KUMAR SHETKAR:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:

(a) the number of delayed defence pilot projects along with the total cost escalation due to such delays;

(b) the details of defence pilot projects which have failed to meet their objectives despite substantial expenditure;

(c) whether the Government has identified/fixed accountability on anyone for such delays and conducted any independent audit in this regard during the last five years, if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether it is a fact that several pilot projects in the defence sector were sanctioned without adequate strategic justification and if so, the details thereof along with the steps taken by the Government to prevent further wastage of public funds on unproductive/non-priority defence projects;

(e) whether any foreign/private contractors were involved in these delayed defence projects, if so, the details thereof; and

(f) whether the Government has received any complaints/representations from the Armed Forces regarding the delays in critical defence pilot projects and if so, the details thereof? A N S W E R MINISTER OF STATE (SHRI SANJAY SETH) IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(a) DRDO does not undertake any project under the category of Pilot Project. DRDO undertakes Mission Mode (MM) Projects to deliver State-of-the-Art weapons systems and platform to Indian Armed Forces.

(b) to (f) Does not arise in view of (a) above. *****