Defence Panel Urges DRDO to Set Clear KPIs, Boost R&D Spending

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has urged the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to expeditiously finalise clear and measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for its projects, covering cost efficiency, technological maturity, target dates, completion time and operational effectiveness.

In a report presented in Parliament on Friday, the panel called for a structured, transparent and periodic benchmarking framework to assess DRDO projects. It also sought details on steps being taken to ensure timely completion, proper utilisation of funds and prevention of cost overruns. The recommendations are significant for India’s wartime preparedness, as delays in developing critical military technologies and excessive dependence on foreign suppliers could affect equipment availability during prolonged conflicts. Faster indigenous development can strengthen supply resilience when global supply chains are disrupted.

The committee strongly recommended that the government progressively increase defence R&D spending over the next five years, stressing that sustained investment is essential for technological self-reliance and the competitiveness of India’s defence industry. It also asked the Department of Defence Production to closely monitor the five-year R&D roadmap involving ₹33,000 crore, ensuring that the investment delivers greater indigenisation and reduces dependence on foreign imports.

Greater defence indigenisation could also have economic benefits, including stronger domestic manufacturing, increased opportunities for defence startups and MSMEs, skilled employment and lower foreign-exchange outflows on imported equipment. However, the panel’s focus on measurable KPIs and benchmarking highlights the need to ensure that higher spending translates into operational capabilities and does not get absorbed by prolonged or inefficient projects.

The panel welcomed the special increase in the defence capital budget in the current year following Operation Sindoor and acknowledged efforts to strengthen defence R&D. It also praised DRDO’s grievance-redressal mechanisms, including Internal Complaints Committees and She-Box, while calling for stronger complaint handling under the POSH Act. The committee sought a comprehensive study on educational support for children and wards of defence personnel and welcomed the migration of ECHS applications to the National Government Cloud. It also noted the sanctioning of three lakh additional NCC cadet vacancies, with enrolment planned in phases through 2028.