Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Defence has approved an additional corpus of ₹500 Cr under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme to support Deep Tech and cutting-edge projects. Nine industries are engaged in four projects sanctioned through DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIACoEs). The projects are monitored at three stages at regular intervals throughout the year by various committees and councils.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme:**
* An additional grant/corpus of ₹500 Cr has been approved for Deep Tech and cutting-edge projects.
* Selection and identification of Deep Tech projects have been initiated, with 09 projects currently launched under TDF.
* **DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIACoEs):**
* Nine industries are engaged in 04 projects sanctioned through DIACoEs under the Grants in Aid Scheme of DRDO.
* Projects cover research areas including Powder Metallurgy, High Power Microwave Sources, Advanced Ballistics, AI, Quantum Technology and more. (See Appendix A for a full list of institutes)
* **Project Monitoring and Evaluation:**
* Projects are monitored at three stages in regular intervals by the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC), Research Advisory Board (RAB), and Governing Council.
* The Project Monitoring and Mentoring Group (PMMG) guides and monitors awarded TDF projects.
* A Technical Committee (TC) Meeting, chaired by DGTM, is held monthly, and an Empowered Committee (EC) meeting, chaired by Secretary DDRD and Chairman DRDO, is held every four months.
* Trials and certifications are conducted to monitor project outcomes.
* **Future Plans for DIACoEs:**
* No immediate plans to establish new DIACoEs.
* Collaborative research projects can be explored through existing DIACoEs.
* Faculty can send research proposals to existing DIACoEs.
Impact Analysis:
* **Private Sector Entities (Startups, MSMEs):**
* *Impact:* Eligible entities can receive funding for Deep Tech and cutting-edge projects under the TDF scheme.
* *Action Required:* Participate in the selection process to identify Deep Tech projects.
* **Academia (Faculty, Research Institutions):**
* *Impact:* Opportunity to collaborate with DRDO through DIACoEs and contribute to defense-oriented research.
* *Action Required:* Send concept notes or research proposals to existing DIACoEs.
* **DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation):**
* *Impact:* Enhanced capabilities in developing critical defense technologies through collaborative research and funding initiatives.
* *Action Required:* Continue to monitor and evaluate projects, interact with Services DPSUs, and facilitate collaboration between industry and academia.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Defence: The ministry of the Government of India responsible for defence.
Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO): An agency of the Department of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence responsible for military's research and development.
Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme: A scheme under the Ministry of Defence to support development of defence technologies.
Deep Tech: A category of advanced and emerging technologies with potentially disruptive impact.
DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIACoEs): Centres established by DRDO in academic institutions to promote research and development in defence technologies.
SHRI NAVEEN JINDAL: Member of Parliament who raised the question regarding the Technology Development Fund Scheme.
SHRI SANJAY SETH: Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence who provided the answer to the question.
IIT Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh: Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, located in Andhra Pradesh, involved in projects under the DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIACoEs).
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
DEFENCE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 941
TO BE ANSWERED ON 25th July, 2025
TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT FUND SCHEME
941. SHRI NAVEEN JINDAL:
Will the Minister of DEFENCE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has approved the new Deep Tech and Cutting-Edge policies under
the Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme, if so, the details thereof along with their
key features/objectives;
(b) the number of private sector entities including startups and MSMEs received funds through
these policies during the last two years along with the nature of technologies supported;
(c) the details of projects undertaken through the 15 DRDO Industry Academia Centres of
Excellence (DIA-CoEs), State-wise and institution-wise and the specific futuristic research
areas being covered;
(d) the details of mechanisms to monitor the progress and outcomes of projects supported under
DIA-CoEs and TDF; and
(e) whether the Government has any future plans to expand the network of DIA-CoEs to
introduce additional support measures for faster indigenisation of critical defence technologies
and if so, the details thereof?
A N S W E R
MINISTER OF STATE (SHRI SANJAY SETH)
IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
(a) Yes, Sir. An additional grant or Corpus of Rs 500 Cr has been approved by Hon’ble Raksha
Mantri to cater for Deep-tech and cutting edge projects as separate verticals under TDF.
(b) The process of the selection and identification of Deep Tech projects has been initiated.
Currently, 09 projects are launched under this initiative by TDF and 09 industries are
engaged in 04 projects sanctioned through DIA-CoEs under the Grants in Aid Scheme of
DRDO.
….2/--2-
(c) Projects are covering the research areas like Powder Metallurgy, High Power Microwave
Sources & Devices , Advanced Ballistics, Smart and Intelligent Textile Technology,
Photonic Technologies, Aerospace Systems and Materials, Micro and Nano Systems
Science & Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, Quantum Technology, Naval
Systems and Naval Technologies, High Power CW Laser Source, Additive Manufacturing,
Advanced Materials & Processing, Aero Engine, Desert Warfare Technologies, AI for
Information and War-gaming Technologies, Advanced Nano Materials, Sensors based on
Semiconductors etc. List of Institute involved is Attached as Appendix ‘A’.
(d) DRDO has Long Term Directed Research Policy (LTDRP) for engaging academia.
Projects are monitored at three stages in regular intervals throughout the year. Technical
evaluation committee (TEC) evaluates the new project proposals and does regular
technical progress monitoring. Research Advisory Board (RAB) reviews the new projects
recommended by TEC and also monitors sanctioned projects for their progress and
addresses the techno managerial issues of Centre of Excellence (CoE) and the projects.
Governing Council approves the projects, oversees the overall functioning of the Centre
and projects sanctioned through the Centre.
The awarded projects under TDF scheme to various industries are guided & monitored
regularly by Project Monitoring and Mentoring Group (PMMG) as per milestones till the
completion of the projects. A Technical Committee (TC) Meeting chaired by Director
General (Technology Management) (DGTM) held every month and Empowered
Committee (EC) meeting chaired by Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO held once
in four months to monitor the progress of the awarded projects. Trials and Certification
are conducted to monitor the outcome of the projects. DRDO regularly interacts with
Services & DPSUs for informing them about all new Deep tech projects and their progress
so that they can be utilised.
(e) The existing centres are in the process of getting stabilized and matured for the outcome
driven research projects. Considerable efforts are being put by to bring the existing centres
into the fold of industry and academic collaborative research. The new centres
commissioned in 2022 are still streamlining the research for defence oriented practical
outcomes. In view of this, there are no immediate plans to establish new DIA-CoEs, but
in order to expand the collaborative research, projects can be explored through any of the
established DIA-CoEs. Faculty from any of the academic institutes can send the concept
notes or research proposal on the common R&D interest areas of DRDO to the any of the
existing DIA-CoEs.
….3/--3-
Appendix ‘A’
SI. State Institute of PI Institute of Co-PI No of
No. Projects
Sanctioned
1 Andhra IIT Tirupati 1
Pradesh GITAM University 1
College of Engineering Andhra 1
University Vishakhapatnam
2 Arunachal Central Agricultural University, Pacchunga 1
Pradesh Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh University College,
Aizawl (01)
3 Assam IIT Guwahati Assam University, 2
State Public Health
Lab, Assam
Mizoram University
CSIR-NEIST, Jorhat IIT Jammu(01) 4
4 Delhi IIT Delhi AIIMS (01), 56
IIIT Delhi (01)
5 Gujarat Gujarat University 2
SVNIT, Surat C K Pithawala , 1
Surat(01)
6 Jammu and IIT Jammu 2
Kashmir Central University, Jammu(CUJ) 7
7 Jharkhand IIM Ranchi 1
8 Karnataka IISc Bengaluru CoEP Pune(01), 36
IIT Madras (01),
NAL Bengaluru (01)
National Institute of Advanced 2
Studies (NIAS), Bengaluru
NIT Surthakal ARCI 1
Hyderabad(01),
CGC RI Kolkata(01)
IIT Dharwad 1
9 Madya Pradesh Atal Bihari Vajpayee Indian 1
Institute of Information
Technology and Management
(ABV-IIITM) Gwalior
10 Maharashtra IIT Bombay 16
DIAT Pune 2
11 Meghalaya NIT Meghalaya NIT Manipur 1
12 Mizoram Mizoram University NIT, Nagaland (01) 10
NIT Mizoram 1
….4/--4-
13 Orissa IIT Bhubaneshwar 1
14 Rajasthan IIT Jodhpur IIEST Shibpur(01), 6
IIT Kanpur (01)
15 Tamil Naidu IIT Madras IIT Jodhpur(01) 45
IITDM, Tamil Naidu 1
National Institute of Technology 2
(NIT), Tiruchirappalli
Sri Sivasubramaiya Nadar college of 1
Engineering, Chennai
16 Telangana IIT Hyderabad IIT Madras (01) 30
University of Hyderabad 2
CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical 2
Technology, Hyderabad
IIIT Hyderabad 1
IDRBT, Hyderabad 1
17 Tripura NIT, Agartala Mizoram University(01) 1
18 Uttar Pradesh IIT BHU University of 13
Hyderabad (01)
IIT Kanpur 16
19 Uttarakhand IIT Roorkee 9
20 West Bengal CSIR-CGCRI Kolkata 4
Jadavpur University 5
CSIR-CMERI Durgapur NIT Durgapur (01) 6
NIT Durgapur 2
ISI, Kolkata 1
IIT Kharagpur 3
Total 55 Unique Institutes 302
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