23 of 55 high-priority DRDO projects missed deadline: Govt in Parliament

Twenty-three of the 55 high-priority projects being implemented by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) could not meet their respective deadlines, the government informed Parliament on Monday.

The projects included developing anti-air field weapons, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range radars, combat vehicles, combat suits for submarines and submarine periscopes, among others.

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt provided the details in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

He said high-priority projects are undertaken at the DRDO under the Mission Mode (MM) project category.

"Currently, there are 55 numbers of ongoing MM (Mission Mode) projects such as anti-air field weapons, solid fuel ducted ramjet technology, surface to air missiles, anti-ship missiles, long range radars, combat vehicles, high endurance autonomous underwater vehicles, combat suits for submarines, submarine periscopes etc.," Bhatt said.

"Of these 55 numbers