NEW DELHI — Avinash Chander, director general of India's Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and scientific adviser to the defense minister, was removed from office 16 months before his term was to end.
NEW DELHI — Avinash Chander, director general of India's (CQ) India's top man ofDefence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) chief and scientific adviser to the defense minister, was removed from office the state- owned defense research agency, Avinash Chander (CQ) has been fired, 16 months before his extended term was to come to an end.
A Ministry of Defence (MoD) official without being named said Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar (cq)who took office in November 11, decided that Chander, age 64 and working on a contract basis, should be replaced with a younger scientist on a permanent basis.
Talking to reporters Jan. 14, Parrikar said "I recommended this. We need someone young and didn't want somebody on contract to be in such a senior post," Parrikar said Wednesday. "We will find out someone good from the DRDO ... who has the urge for development." he said.
The MoD source said Parrikar's decision will shake up what he described as said "the inertia in DRDO."
DRDO which has 50 laboratories, mostly in the south of India, and has in operation 260 operational research programs. However, most of the programs are behind schedule; some, of them like the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), are lagging by more than behind scheduled over two decades.
The MoD source said that last month, Manohar Parrikar had asked DRDO last month to provide give in details on when and how some of the delayed projects could can be completed on time. Parrikar told the DRDO chief, Avinash Chander that in those cases where DRDO has no scheduled deadline time line schedule to complete a the project it may have to be closed, then some projects need to be shut, including the Kaveri engine development project for the LCA.
The prime minister's office (PMO) has also strongly advocated that DRDO should give a detailed action plan for the completion of its projects, including a with a timeline. for completion.
Some of DRDO's the key projects of DRDO include a the missile development program under the Integrated Guided Missile Program launched in the 1980s. This effort includes the , and includes Prithvi series theater missiles, the Nag anti-tank missile, the Akash mobile surface-to-air missile and the Agni series ballistic missiles. , Airborne Early Warning and Control System (AEWACS), etc.Some of of these projects are delayed by over 10 to 15 years, while the . The Trishul quick reaction missile project is almost dumped by the user defense forces and , while scheduled date of induction date for of LCA is still not in sight.
Parrikar wants active involvement by of the domestic defense sector and overseas companies to execute in executing weapon development projects.
An Indian Air Force official said DRDO should concentrate on cutting-edge research in fields where no other nation is willing to engage in joint research projects.
A committee headed by P. Rama Rao, a former secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, has issued recommended several recommendations to make the working of DRDO more effective. One of the recommendations of the Rama Rao committee relates to is to merge making DRDO leaner. The Rama Rao committee has recommended that several of DRDO's laboratories should be merged with other state institutions doing similar research. the same nature of research.
The MoD source said DRDO is engaged in several research and development R&D activities that which are also being carried out by other state-owned agencies, such as like the Indian Institutes of Technology, and defense companies like Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. imited and other state owned defense companies.
Email: vraghuvanshi@defensenews.com.
Vivek Raghuvanshi is the India correspondent for Defense News.
