DRDO in the process of developing robotic soldiers

Coimbatore: The Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) is in the process of developing robotic soldiers, which would take a final shape soon, a top official said in Coimbatore on Thursday.

These soldiers are capable of sensing and clearing mines, which would benefit and help all forces and works are going on in Bangalore and Pune units, V K Saraswat, Director General, DRDO, told reporters.

According to Saraswat, the DRDO is also building a robot mule to carry heavy luggage up to 400 kg to high altitudes and more details would be available by the year end.

The robotic soldiers will be capable of sensing and clearing mines, which will benefit and help all forces.

"Since soldiers develop many physical problems, the organisation has now started working on high altitudes and carrying out research on how to mitigate these problems," he said.

"We are also developing medicine for them and also working on high altitude agriculture."

On export of Brahmos missile, Saraswat, who was in Coimbatore to inaugurate the transit facility at Bharathiar University-DRDO Centre for Life Science, said there was huge demand for the missile from other countries, including Indonesia and Malaysia. However, there was no proposal to export now, as there was a need to produce them to meet India's demands.

DRDO was looking for one more production centre for the missiles, which at present were being produced at Hyderabad and Thiruvanthapuram, he said.

"First time, we are now producing complex missiles in large numbers.Akash is in the production stage and a few companies like Bharat Electronics Ltd are manufacturing it. This is a very good sign. We have achieved 80 per cent self-sufficiency in missiles," Saraswat said.

It was also a good sign that about 400 industries were involved, by contributing components for the missiles.

"We are improving our self-reliance,and in self-reliance index we have reached about 55 per cent in the past 10 years."

Saraswat, also Chief Scientific Adviser to the Defence minister, declined to comment on the Adarsh Scam, particularly on Bombay High Court asking the Defence ministry to contest the Maharashtra Government's claim that CBI has no jurisdiction to investigate it. "I do not want to express any views on that. I am not related to it," he said.

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