DRDO's Indigenous Research Saves ₹2.64 Lakh Cr, Advances Defense Tech

• DRDO's indigenous research saved India ₹2.64 lakh crore over the last five years, reducing foreign dependency.
• A parliamentary committee lauded DRDO for strengthening India's defense R&D capabilities.
• Recent DRDO achievements include successful tests of long-range hypersonic anti-ship missile (Nov 2024) and Agni ballistic missile with MIRV technology (March 2024).
• DRDO also developed and tested Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) and Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile.
• New defense PSUs are focusing on identifying target countries and exportable products to boost defense exports.

Why It Matters: DRDO's indigenous defense research saved ₹2.64 lakh crore, boosting self-reliance.