In an effort to synergise efforts to develop products and related critical aerospace technologies, the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) on Saturday signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Bombay and Madras to establish a Bi-nodal ‘Centre of Propulsion Technology’ (CoPT) at the two institutions.
Dr S Christopher, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D & DG DRDO, signed MoA with Professor Devang Khakhar, Director, IIT Bombay and Professor B Ramamurthi, Director, IIT Madras, affirming their commitments towards CoPT.
“The MoA aims at achieving synergy between DRDO and IITs for channelising the research efforts towards developing products and related critical aerospace technologies to fulfil the country’s ‘Make in India’ aspirations,” a defence spokesperson said.
The CoPT will evolve mechanisms to facilitate execution of programs related to propulsion technology and will engage the primary Research Nodes (IIT Bombay and IIT Madras) and other research institutions/ centres to undertake advanced collaborative research also in the areas of critical defence technologies.
The Centre will facilitate and undertake multidisciplinary directed research in the focused areas of futuristic Aero Engines, Hypersonic propulsion for long duration flights, solid propellant combustion modeling and morphing aircraft technologies.
The CoPT will also enable agreements and MoAs between the primary nodes and the other participating institutes covering programme definition, work package and fund share, techno-managerial and related responsibilities for the execution of the projects. Each project will be well thought-out and discussed in great detail with the relevant user lab of DRDO for utility towards development of the identified product.
The establishment of CoPT will further strengthen the DRDO’s relationship with IITs and other academic research institutions. It is envisaged to emerge as a centre of excellence for conducting basic and applied research in the areas of Aero-propulsion technologies, and achieve recognition as one of the best research centres in the world.
After his organisation inked MoA with IITs, Mumbai and Madras, Director General of DRDO Dr S Christopher said that the setting up of CoPT would attract talent to the field.
Stressing on the need for maintaining an outcome-oriented approach, Dr Christopher assured the IITs faculty members that DRDO would go the extra mile in supporting the venture.
Prof Devang Khakhar said that the investment in the field must be effectively utilised to gain knowledge leadership in the subjects and motivate the next generation to take this exciting area of research.
On his part, Prof B Ramamurthi hailed the development as an opportunity to generate enthusiasm and energy into new research and urged the gathering to provide an apt environment in which young minds can grow and contribute in this field.