DRDO test-fires drone-launched missile, boosting India's indigenous defense manufacturing
What's the story
The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has successfully test-fired the UAV-Launched Precision Guided Missile (ULPGM)-V3. The flight trials were conducted at the National Open Area Range (NOAR) in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed this major milestone on Friday, calling it a "significant boost to India's defense capabilities." He congratulated the DRDO and industry partners for their remarkable achievement.
Technological advancement
ULPGM-V3 system enhances India's precision-strike capabilities
The ULPGM-V3 system is a state-of-the-art addition to India's precision-strike arsenal, marking a major step toward unmanned and smart warfare systems. The successful test-firing of this drone-launched missile comes as part of DRDO's efforts to bolster India's self-reliance in defense manufacturing. Dr. Chandrika Kaushik, Director General (PC&SI) at DRDO, revealed that over 2,000 technology transfer licensing agreements and more than 200 production licenses were signed in 2024 alone.
Industry partnership
Over 130 industries collaborated with DRDO as development partners
Speaking at the CII Manufacturing Conclave East in Kolkata, Dr. Kaushik highlighted the growing role of private industry through the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme. The scheme provides up to ₹50 crore funding per system and technical support from DRDO scientists. In the last five years, DRDO has collaborated with over 130 industries as development partners or production agencies, further strengthening India's indigenous defense ecosystem.
Manufacturing logistics
Need to synchronize manufacturing with logistics: Sudhanshu Mani
At the conclave, industry stalwart Sudhanshu Mani stressed the need to synchronize manufacturing with logistics. Tata Steel's Ashish Anupam observed that the eastern region is growing faster than the national average, indicating positive trends for defense production capabilities in that area. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) also highlighted its Market Facilitation Services (MFS) initiative at the conclave to help Indian manufacturers access global markets and boost export competitiveness in the defense sector.