During the inaugural session of SAMANVAY 2025 in Bengaluru, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) handed over 12 Licensing Agreements for Transfer of Technology (LATOTs) for eight defence products to industry partners, signalling a major step in India’s defence manufacturing drive, according to a latest PIB announcement.
Collaboration between research labs and industry takes off
At the two-day industry synergy meet organised by DRDO’s Electronics & Communication Systems (ECS) cluster, the Ministry of Defence announced that 12 LATOTs for eight cutting-edge technologies — including an electronic warfare suite and laser photoacoustic spectroscopy — were transferred to Indian companies, says the PIB report.
The handover saw technologies like the D-29 Electronic Warfare Suite, NATSAT hand-held and mini terminals, and the Laser Beam Rider Guidance System licensed to firms such as Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited.
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DRDO Chairman Samir V Kamat emphasised that by “uniting innovation and industry”, the agency is empowering Indian defence manufacturing for a self-reliant tomorrow. "From research laboratories to real-world capabilities, the DRDO is partnering with the industry to come up with indigenised solutions for the armed forces and realise the government's vision of 'Make in India, Make for the World'," Kamat said.
As per PTI, the event drew over 150 industry partners, including MSMEs and start-ups, and featured ten sessions covering development-cum-production partner engagement, ecosystem reform, and policy updates for the defence sector.
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DRDO said the transfer of these technologies marks an important milestone in its “Make in India, Make for the World” vision. The Industry Interaction Group at DRDO labs and headquarters has also been instituted to help firms better navigate transfer procedures.
With India aiming to reduce dependence on imports in defence, such technology-transfer agreements strengthen the home-grown industry, create jobs and integrate research outcomes with manufacturing capabilities.
