DRDO Ups Naval CBRN Capability with Indigenous Technology Transfer

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Tuesday transferred six indigenously manufactured strategic systems to the Indian Navy. The systems, developed to Naval Staff Qualitative Requirements (NSQR), were ceremoniously transferred to the Indian Navy Tuesday at a ceremony in DRDO's Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur.

The handover was made by Secretary DDR&D and DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat to Rear Admiral Sriram Amur, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Submarine Support Planning), a move towards operational self-reliance for the Indian Navy. 

The six critical products handed over are:

Gamma Radiation Aerial Surveillance System (GRASS)

Environmental Surveillance Vehicle (ESV)

Vehicle Radiological Contamination Monitoring System (VRCMS)

Underwater Gamma Radiation Monitoring System (UGRMS)

Dirt Extractor and Cross Contamination Monitor (DECCOM)

Organ Radioactivity Detection System (ORDS)

All six systems have been designed to enhance situational awareness, detection, and decontamination capabilities in the event of nuclear and radiological emergencies — both at sea and ashore. Their induction in the field is a major leap ahead in India's naval preparedness against non-traditional threats, specifically in disputed maritime areas.

This shift follows closely another achievement on June 11, when DRDO, in collaboration with the Indian Air Force, achieved successful test-firings of the locally developed Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) Astra from a Su-30 MKI launcher off the coast of Odisha. The missile, now integrated with an Indian-designed Radio Frequency (RF) seeker, targeted and annihilated aerial targets with impressive precision.

The over 100 km strike range Astra missile is fitted with a cutting-edge indigenous guidance and navigation package. Its creation is a testament to the synergy between DRDO's R&D centers, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, and over 50 indigenous industry partners, testifying to the big push under the Atmanirbhar Bharat program.

Collectively, these twin successes — a critical CBRN technology transfer and a precision missile test — reestablish India's growing defence production ecosystem and operational autonomy across domains.