India's government has approved the transfer of missile technology developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to private defence companies, according to The Times of India. The move will allow private firms to produce conventional missiles using technologies previously held by the state-run research agency.
The decision, reported on Tuesday, marks a shift in how India manages its defence manufacturing sector. The Times of India reports that the transfer is intended to broaden the industrial base for missile production and reduce the military's reliance on a single state-owned supplier.
The Hindu and Telegraph India also covered the announcement, noting that the government has formally cleared the handover of DRDO-developed missile systems to industry. Deccan Herald described the move as opening up conventional missile production to the private sector for the first time on this scale.
The policy change is part of a wider push by New Delhi to increase domestic defence manufacturing and encourage private investment in the sector. By giving companies access to DRDO's technology, the government aims to speed up production timelines and create a more competitive supplier ecosystem, according to Firstpost's Vantage analysis.
The exact list of missile systems included in the transfer has not been disclosed in the reporting available. It is also unclear which private firms have been selected or when production is expected to begin.
What to watch next: which companies receive the technology licences and how quickly they can move from approval to actual missile production.
