DRDO opens up missile production partnership for Indian private sector

“Under the Development cum Production Partner (DCPP) programme, we have allowed the private sector to co-develop missile systems with us and then also produce them,” senior DRDO officials told ANI.

“Private sector firms have responded very enthusiastically for participation and bids have been received for the Vertically-launched Short-range Surface to Air Missile system (VL-SRSAM) project,” they said.

The effort is part of initiatives to prepare the private sector industry to be able to develop complex military systems under the ‘Make in India’ project of the Narendra Modi government.

The all-weather air defence missile system is being developed to provide point and area defence against various aerial targets like jets, fighter aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles.

The canister-based state of art weapon system would be able to identify, track, engage and destroy the target with a high kill probability. It has a strike range of about 40 km.

The DRDO has also helped private sector industry including Tata and Baba Kalyani industries to develop the ATAGS howitzer which is likely to be the main artillery gun for the Indian Army in the next many decades.