Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials today said that the integrated field shelter developed to provide protection during a nuclear war was meant only for the armed forces for now.Asked if the President, Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the command, control and communication structure in New Delhi would get protection there in case of a nuclear, chemical or biological war, officials said they were not involved in the protection of VVIPs.‘‘The shelter has been developed by our scientists based on qualitative requirements laid down by the army,’’ Dr R.V. Swamy, DRDO’s Chief controller, said at a briefing.Though the shelter, to be placed one metre below the surface of the earth, can provide protection for 96 hours, it is completely ineffective at ground zero since ‘‘nothing will survive there,’’ Swamy said.Dr Swamy also said that successful trial runs had been carried out near the sea, in deserts and mountains and different conditions. ‘‘We have met the army’s requirements,’’ he said. He said the armed forces had given requirements for 26 items, including the shelter, protection and detection systems and diagnostics kits, and all of these have been produced.
