DEFENCE
TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL - GOVERNANCE
News:
Defence upgrade roadmap:
Apex body led by Prime Minister, MoD sci-tech unit
What's
in the news?
●
A high-level committee set up to revamp
the Defence Research and Development Organisation has suggested having two
secretaries in the organisation along with setting up a Defence Technology
Commission.
Key
takeaways:
●
The recommendations have been made by the
Professor Vijay Raghavan committee, which submitted its report to the Defence
Ministry on January 1.
●
This top body, called the Defence
Technology Council by the Vijay Raghavan
committee, is proposed to have an executive committee chaired by the Chief
of Defence Staff.
Defence
Technology Council:
●
Chairman
- Prime Minister
●
Vice
Chairman - Defence Minister and the National Security Advisor
●
The Principal
Scientific Advisor, along with the three service chiefs and their vice
chiefs, will also be its members.
●
Representation from academia and industry,
with two members from each sector.
Objective:
●
To determine the country’s defence technology roadmap and decide on major projects and
their execution.
Observations
by Vijay Raghavan Committee:
●
In its report, sources said, the Vijay
Raghavan committee has observed that the DRDO
should focus on its original goal of research and development for defence and
refrain from involving itself in productization, production cycles and product
management, tasks that are more suitable for the private sector.
○
At present, DRDO remains engaged in all
aspects, from research to development to production, in its projects.
●
The committee has also recommended the
merger of existing over 50 laboratories into around 10 larger ones, reducing
the number of directors and removing the role of the cluster Director generals.
●
The committee has also recommended the increase in the role of academia and the
private sector in defence research and development.
●
The panel has also suggested the creation
of a separate department under the Defence Ministry - the Department of Defence
Science, Technology, and Innovation.