Strategic Perspectives on Growth Phases and Long-term Techno-economic Performance of India’s DRDO

The future of an organization is less determined by outside forces than by its history and the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is no exception. This article analyses the major achievements and shortfalls of the DRDO. It models the strategic dimensions of organization development. The value of production from defence industries arising from DRDO technology transfers is rapidly escalating, enabling the government’s goal of self-reliance. The historical ‘licence production’ culture in the aeronautics, electronics and guided missile industries sustains imports of raw materials and small components worth billions of dollars annually. The article suggests architectural changes to aid the conversion of this vulnerability into an opportunity to create indigenous techno-industrial infrastructure and market worth nearly
Rs 12,000 crore per annum through public-private partnerships. The way ahead is charted for techno-economic growth of self-reliant defence industry in partnership with the private sector by creating a Defence Techno-Industrial Consortium. Sustaining India’s leadership in