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What is DRDO
Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency under the Ministry of Defence. Headquartered in New Delhi, DRDO was formed in 1958 by amalgamating the Defence Science Organisation and a few technical development establishments. DRDO is India's largest research organisation. It has a network of laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, like aeronautics, armaments, electronics, land combat engineering, life sciences, materials, missiles, and naval systems.
DRDO's first project for the Indian military was in surface-to-air missiles (SAM) known as Project Indigo. However, it received little success and was therefore discontinued. Since being set up, DRDO has achieved many successes in developing major systems and critical technologies like aircraft avionics, UAVs, small arms, artillery systems, EW Systems, tanks and armoured vehicles, sonar systems, command and control systems and missile systems.
In March 2019, DRDO developed India's first anti-satellite system that made India one of the space superpowers. In 2016, It successfully tested its first indigenously developed heavy-duty drone, Rustom 2, which is an unmanned armed combat vehicle developed on the lines of the US's Predator drone. DRDO co-developed INS Arihant, India's first nuclear ballistic missile submarine, which became operational in 2018. Its self-ejectable black box for airplanes — BSAT — can help rescuers easily locate the debris in the event of a crash in water. DRDO has also developed several ballistic missiles under its Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, which includes missiles like Prithvi, Trishul, Agni, Akash and Nag