Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday unveiled the Delegation of Financial Powers to DRDO (DFP-2026), a major reform aimed at enhancing efficiency, accountability and the timely execution of strategic research and development (R&D) projects.
The revised financial framework is expected to facilitate faster production and induction of systems, platforms and technologies developed through the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) into the Armed Forces. According to the Ministry of Defence, it will also strengthen collaboration between DRDO, industry and academia, reinforcing the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and enhancing self-reliance in defence technologies.
DFP-2026 seeks to significantly enhance functional empowerment at various levels within the Department of Defence R&D by streamlining financial decision-making and project implementation.
The revised framework includes dedicated financial provisions for trial campaigns, testing and evaluation activities, authorisation for sanctioning pre-project R&D initiatives, and a clear segregation of financial powers for grants-in-aid related to Extra-Mural Research Projects (EMR), Defence Innovation Accelerator-Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoEs) and Technology Development Fund (TDF) projects.
According to the ministry, the reforms are expected to improve the timely execution of strategic R&D programmes, accelerate the delivery of critical defence technologies and further strengthen the country’s defence preparedness.
