DRDO mission: to promote technology for low-intensity conflicts

The term low intensity conflicts is used to describe conflicts that target enemies in specific situations like in counter insurgency operations — without causing harm to the society — unlike in a full blown war.

“A team of 15 to 20 scientists will be working on this aspect. Ten DRDO labs have also been asked to look into technologies that have dual use. We need new technology that can be used for detection,surveillance and mitigation purposes in our fight against low intensity warfare,” he said.

Saraswat was speaking to the media after the inauguration of the seventh international high energy conference and exhibit in Pune.

The DRDO will host an exhibition in the following week where all technologies,developed by various labs which have a potential in anti terror operations,will be show-cased.

Saraswat said at present,DRDO is focussing on leveraging home grown technology for low intensity warfares,but would not shy away from international collaboration on the same.

Stating that the DRDO aims to develop a soldier as a system,Saraswat said the 26/11 defense could have been handled better if those fighting had better weapons. If we can make soldiers or the police a complete system with detection and weapons ability,we would be able to fight low intensity conflicts better,he said.

He said the DRDO would aim for self reliance but only if it was cost-effective. “We would have to invest Rs 300- Rs 400 crore in critical technologies to enhance our self reliance. Sometimes it is not worth it as it is not cost effective. The first priority of the DRDO is to focus on technologies that have been denied to us,” Saraswat said.

‘Agni II test will be conducted again’

Saraswat said that the Agni II ballistic missile test that failed recently would be conducted again. It was a result of poor manufacture of components. “Certain components were of poor quality and we have already alerted the manufacturers about it. The test will be conducted soon,” he said.