Syllabus: GS-III;
Subject: Security;
Topic: Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate.
Issue: Establishment of Defence Technology Council.
Context: The expert committee led by Prof K Vijay Raghavan recommends creating a Defense Technology Council (DTC) chaired by the Prime Minister.
Synopsis
- DTC, led by the Prime Minister with the Defense Minister and NSA as Vice Presidents, aims to streamline defense decision-making.
- The proposed Executive Committee, headed by the Chief of Defence Staff, includes the Principal Scientific Advisor, service chiefs, and industry-academia representatives.
- The committee’s recommendations follow concerns about delays in DRDO projects. Parliamentary Committee notes 23 of 55 mission projects were delayed. And the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had reported that 67% of the projects it scrutinized had failed to adhere to their proposed timelines.
- DRDO advised to focus on research, not productization; encourage collaboration with the private sector and global expertise.
- The DTC aims to provide a high-level governance structure to improve defense decision-making and address project efficiency concerns.
This council aims to streamline decision-making in the defense sector and enhance the coordination of major defense projects.
