Defence Minister Rajnath Singh releases Delegation of Financial Powers to DRDO 2026 to boost R&D efficiency
New Delhi, June 29
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday released the Delegation of Financial Powers to DRDO, a major reform to enhance efficiency, accountability, and timely execution of strategic R&D projects.
According to an official release from the Ministry of Defence, the DFP-2026 will facilitate faster production and induction of systems, platforms & technologies emerging from the R&D ecosystem into the Defence Forces, stated the Defence Minister, adding that the new framework will foster stronger collaboration with the industry and academia, reinforcing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
He furthered that the revised framework will contribute to enhanced self-reliance in defence technologies and strengthen the nation's defence preparedness.
The DFP-2026 aims to significantly enhance functional empowerment at various levels within the Department of Defence R&D. The revised framework addresses several critical requirements, including dedicated financial provisions for trial campaigns, tests and evaluation activities, authorisation for sanctioning pre-project R&D initiatives, and clear segregation of financial powers for grants-in-aid pertaining to Extra-Mural Research Projects, Defence Innovation Accelerator-Centres of Excellence, and Technology Development Fund projects under the respective schedules, a release said.
Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani; Defence Secretary and Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Rajesh Kumar Singh; Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar; Secretary (Ex-Servicemen Welfare) Sukriti Likhi; Controller General of Defence Accounts Anugraha Narayana Das; DG (Naval Systems & Materials), DRDO RV Hara Prasad; DG (Resources & Management) Ravindra Singh; Director, Directorate of Finance & Material Management Maiya Din and other senior officials were present during the event in New Delhi.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Good initiative but I hope this doesn't lead to misuse of funds. We need strict accountability along with delegation. Let's see how this works on ground.
Finally! As someone working in defence R&D, I can tell you that financial delays have been a major bottleneck. This move will speed up projects like missile development and radar systems. Kudos to Rajnath Singh ji for this reform. Jai Hind!
DRDO has come a long way from being called 'Dummy R&D Organisation' by some critics. With reforms like this and increased collaboration with startups and IITs, India is truly becoming a defence manufacturing hub. Very positive development.
I'm a research student and I can see how financial flexibility can boost innovation. The inclusion of pre-project R&D funding is especially important for early-stage experiments. Hope academia also benefits from this. 🤞
While this is good, I'm concerned about how quickly DRDO can actually execute projects. Financial delegation alone won't solve the issue of project delays. Need to streamline procurement and testing processes too. But still, a step in the right direction. 👍
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