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News18
7 days ago
- Business
- News18
DRDO successfully completed 138 projects in last three years: Govt
New Delhi, Jul 25 (PTI) The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed 138 projects, including air to surface missile 'Dhruvastra', anti-drone air-defence system and high-speed expendable aerial target 'Abhyas' during the last three years, the government said on Friday. Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth said this in a written response to a query in Lok Sabha. In his response, he also shared a tabulated year-wise data and cost incurred. From January 1 to December in 2023, 48 projects were completed; from January 1 to December in 2024, 60 projects were completed; and from January 1 till date in 2025, 30 projects were completed. In a statement later, the ministry of defence said during the last three years, the 'DRDO was sanctioned projects worth Rs 29,558.66 crore". Seth said some of the major projects completed inlcude — 'Nag Mk-2, Astra Mk-2, Dhruvastra-Air to Surface Missile, Anti-Tank Guided Missile for MBT Arjun MK-II, Solid Fuel Ducted Rocket Ramjet Technology for Air Launched Tactical Missiles, Anti-Drone Air-Defence System", among others. In a separate query, the defence ministry was asked whether the government has approved the new 'deep-tech and cutting-edge policies under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) Scheme. 'Yes, sir. An additional grant or corpus of Rs 500 cr has been approved by Hon'ble Raksha Mantri to cater for deep-tech and cutting edge projects as separate verticals under TDF," he said 'The process of the selection and identification of deep-tech projects has been initiated. Currently, nine projects are launched under this initiative by TDF and nine industries are engaged in four projects sanctioned through DIA-CoEs (DRDO Industry-Academia Centres of Excellence) under the Grants in Aid Scheme of DRDO," the minister said. PTI KND NB NB NB (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 25, 2025, 21:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Indian Express
25-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
MoD inks Rs 2,000 crore deal with BEL for air defence radars; Rs 500 crore boost for deep-tech projects
NEW DELHI: Aiming to strengthen the Indian Army's air defence capabilities through indigenous solutions, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday signed a contract worth approximately Rs 2,000 crore with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for the procurement of Air Defence Fire Control Radars under the Buy (Indian–Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) category. The MoD said the contract was signed and exchanged by senior officials of the Ministry and BEL in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi. As per the MoD, these fire control radars will have a minimum 70% indigenous content and 'will be able to detect all forms of airborne threats, including fighter aircraft, attack helicopters and enemy drones.' This procurement, the MoD said, 'marks a significant milestone in the modernisation of the Air Defence Regiments and enhances the Indian Army's operational readiness, while contributing to the economic growth of the nation.' The MoD defines the Buy (Indian–IDDM) category as the 'procurement of products from an Indian vendor that have been indigenously designed, developed and manufactured with a minimum of 50% Indigenous Content (IC) on cost basis of the total contract value.' It further added that the move 'marks a pivotal step towards empowering indigenous defence industries by encouraging Indian MSMEs through components' manufacturing and raw material supply.' In a separate development on Friday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved an additional corpus of Rs 500 crore to support deep-tech and cutting-edge projects as separate verticals under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme. The information was shared by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth in a written reply to MP Naveen Jindal in the Lok Sabha.
RTHK
25-07-2025
- Sport
- RTHK
O'Connor wins TDF stage 18 by conquering Alps
O'Connor wins TDF stage 18 by conquering Alps O'Connor finished over a minute ahead of reigning champion Tadej Pogacar in a gruelling Tour de France stage 18. Photo: Reuters Ben O'Connor won stage 18 of the Tour de France with a world-class climb over three Alpine mountains as defending champion Tadej Pogacar tightened his grip on the yellow jersey. Australian O'Connor, 29, took off alone 15km from the finish and navigated the mountain mist to win one minute, 45 seconds ahead of Pogacar atop the Col de la Loze. Vingegaard crossed the line in third place, nine seconds behind the Slovenian. "It was brutal, I've never lived anything so hard. The team did well and we had a good plan, but I couldn't take any time off Tadej," said Vingegaard. Pogacar now holds a four-minute, 26-second lead over the Dane in the general classification with three days to go before the finish in Paris. Starting the day with a deficit of four minutes and 15 seconds, Vingegaard had attacked a massive 71km out. "Our tactics fell apart when they attacked so soon," said Pogacar explaining he simply tracked his rival on instinct. Pogacar eventually dropped the Dane near the finish line to gain another 11 seconds on the Team Visma rider who won the 2022 and 2023 Tour de France. O'Connor, from the Jayco-Alula team, said he was relieved to triumph again four years after his success in the Alps at Tignes. "Putting your hands in the air is an extraordinary thing. It was about time for me being an Aussie rider in an Aussie team," said a beaming O'Connor, who joined Jayco in January. "I had to go from the bottom of the valley before the last climb. It was the only way to beat them." Pogacar said O'Connor had put in a great ride. "Congrats to Ben. How he rode today, that's his victory." (AFP)
Leaders
11-07-2025
- Business
- Leaders
TDF Launches 3 New Programs to Boost Tourism Entrepreneurs, Startups
The Tourism Development Fund (TDF), Saudi Arabia's national enabler of the tourism sector, has launched three new programs designed to empower entrepreneurs and startups. The initiatives—Grow Tourism Incubator, Tourism Hackathons & Bootcamps, and the Grow Tourism Accelerator—are delivered through TDF Grow, the Fund's non-financial support arm. TDF These programs reflect TDF's strategic commitment to fostering a vibrant, sustainable tourism ecosystem by staying closely aligned with entrepreneurs and investors across the Kingdom. 'We continue to support entrepreneurs in transforming their ideas into tangible, high-impact projects,' said Qusai bin Abdullah Al-Fakhri, TDF CEO. 'Our goal is to provide an end-to-end support system to help businesses overcome challenges and accelerate their growth. These programs are grounded in hands-on enablement, mentorship, and strong connections with key stakeholders, all aligned with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.' Grow Tourism Incubator Launching for the first time, the Grow Tourism Incubator targets early-stage startups. The 10-month program offers shared workspaces, legal, marketing, logistical, technical, and administrative support. Participants benefit from expert-led workshops, training sessions, and mentorship—delivered both virtually and on-site at TDF headquarters. Registration opened on June 24 and runs until July 17. Tourism Hackathons & Bootcamps This five-month program supports individuals with early-stage tourism ideas. Focusing on Asir, Al-Ahsa, and Madinah, it begins with regional hackathons and concludes with intensive bootcamps. Participants will develop ideas into prototypes in an interactive environment offering training, technical support, and direct access to investors and enablers. Registration opened on July 1 and closes on July 22. Grow Tourism Accelerator Returning after the success of previous rounds—which graduated 99 participants—the three-month Accelerator supports startups aiming to scale in the tourism sector. The program offers intensive mentorship and facilitates connections with investors. It also welcomes international companies, contributing to service quality and investment diversity in the Kingdom's tourism industry. So far, TDF Grow has supported over 8,800 beneficiaries through various non-financial initiatives, helping entrepreneurs, startups, and SMEs bring their projects to life. These efforts continue to boost the sector's competitiveness while expanding its long-term economic and social impact throughout Saudi Arabia. Related Topics : Saudi TDF Partners with Karisma Hotels to Enhance Tourism Investment Opportunities Al-Ula hosts the World Tourism Organization's ceremony for the best tourist villages Royal Commission for Al-Ula launches the tourism and entertainment licenses portal Top 10 tourism destinations in Saudi Arabia for Girls Short link : Post Views: 7
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
DRDO boosts indigenous defence manufacturing with over 2,000 tech transfers in 2024: Official
DRDO has significantly advanced India's self-reliance in defence manufacturing, signing over 2,000 licensing agreements for technology transfer and issuing more than 200 production licenses in 2024, an official said on Wednesday. The official also highlighted that over 130 industries have been identified as development partners or production agencies in the last five years, bolstering indigenous defence capabilities. "Over 2000 agreements were signed for technology transfer licenses," Chandrika Kaushik, Director General (PC&SI) of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said while speaking at the CII Manufacturing Conclave East in Kolkata. Under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme, private industries are actively contributing core technologies, with DRDO providing financial support of up to Rs 50 crore per system along with technical guidance. Scientists from DRDO labs are closely mentoring these industries to ensure successful outcomes, she added. The conclave also featured insights from industry leaders, including Sudhanshu Mani, considered the brain behind Vande Bharat, who stressed the need for manufacturing to align with logistics, while Tata Steel's Ashish Anupam noted the eastern region's growth outpacing the national average. CII's Market Facilitation Services (MFS) initiative was also discussed, aimed at helping Indian industries expand globally.
