New Delhi, May 9 (KNN) The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have embarked on a new research collaboration focused on cutting-edge technologies for defence applications.

The partnership will see the two premier institutes join forces in areas such as electronics warfare, AI-driven surveillance, power systems, and radar systems.

Under the agreement, DRDO's Electronics and Communication Systems (ECS) Cluster has sanctioned nine projects to IIT Bhubaneswar, with seven more projects worth Rs 18 crore in funding currently in the pipeline. IIT Bhubaneswar will take the lead in executing these strategic research initiatives.

A high-level meeting was held on Tuesday to formalise the collaboration and outline the key areas of focus.

Highlighting the significance of the partnership, Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar, Director of IIT Bhubaneswar, stated, "Collaborations with DRDO for research in defence mechanisms and technology will pave a new path towards excellence, as IITs move beyond knowledge generation to knowledge application, wealth generation, and producing quality educators."

Dr. Binay K. Das, Director General of the ECS Cluster at DRDO, expressed optimism about the partnership, stating, "This collaboration between the ECS Cluster, DRDO, and IIT Bhubaneswar is intended towards working for a common cause to fulfil the future needs of the country in defence technology", reported Telegraph.

The collaboration aims to leverage the collective expertise of the two institutes, fostering innovation and advancing India's defence capabilities.

By combining cutting-edge research with practical applications, the partnership is expected to yield significant breakthroughs in critical defence technologies, bolstering the nation's self-reliance and security.

(KNN Bureau)