Outlook Magazine | Oct 25, 2004
INTERVIEW
'DRDO Must Tap Private Sector'
The internationally acclaimed scientist, who was
deputed to the DRDO in 1977, analyses the
organisation's problems.
Prof A.J. Paulraj, a naval officer deputed to the DRDO
in 1977, was awarded the Ati Vishishta Seva Medal in
1983 for developing a hi-tech sonar for the navy, one
of the Defence Research and Development Organisation's
(DRDO) big success stories. Paulraj was also the
founding director of the DRDO's Centre for Artificial
Intelligence and Robotics, Bangalore. An
internationally acclaimed scientist, Paulraj now heads
the smart antenna research group at Stanford
University. He has also founded Gigabit Wireless, now
part of Intel Corporation. Here, in an e-mail
interview, Paulraj analyses DRDO's problems. Excerpts:
How do you rate DRDO as an R&D organisation? How does
it compare with such outfits worldwide?
DRDO attempts to develop complex systems within a
government framework. This is almost never done by
government labs in the western world (Russia is the
lone exception). The private sector model works much
better for many reasons (salary, rewards, competitive
bidding, ethos).
The government cannot attract or retain top talent
needed for such complex projects. There is a role for
DRDO�it should be some prelim-technology study,
writing specifications, sometimes developing
prototypes of some elements and then to contract and
monitor the projects executed by private/public
sector.
DRDO has no shortage of material resources, what it
lacks is an efficient working model, the ability to
retain talent.
The DRDO model was necessary in the '50s, '60s and
'70s when the private or public sector did not exist
as far as defence research was concerned. And there
are segments that should never go to the private
sector (like nuclear weapons and rocket motors). But
DRDO should have transitioned to a largely private
sector model. Another need is for the DRDO and the
private sector to jointly develop weapon systems with
multinational defence firms to share costs and talent.
What have been your personal experiences in the DRDO?
Did you leave the organisation because you felt it was
stifling?
I was in the navy and was seconded to the DRDO. I
returned to the navy from DRDO because I felt I was
not effective. DRDO has had and even now has
well-meaning managers. But it is also caught in an
outdated and inefficient work model that is
ill-matched to its challenges.
Do you think scientists and engineers in DRDO are
motivated?
I led a team in DRDO for a sonar project (APSOH). It
was a major success for DRDO. There is no shortage of
material resources now, what we lack in DRDO is the
ability to attract a fair share of the country's top
talent.
DRDO has often been called a white elephant. Do
failures outnumber its successes?
The APSOH was a major success in the '80s, the missile
programme in the '90s and there are others. But we
could have done much much more. We could have been a
significant world power in defence technology. We are
nowhere near that. The real failure is the inability
to change the working model. We need a structure where
some of the best people in the country are put to
solve complex defence technology problems. The private
sector is in a better position to make that happen for
obvious reasons.
Is the DRDO provided enough funds to function as an
effective R&D outfit? Or is it just kept on a drip to
provide a facade of self-reliance?
Funding is not DRDO's problem. It is the working
model.
MBT Arjun, Integrated Missile Development Project, LCA
are all said to be DRDO's failures. In Arjun and
Trishul missiles, import substitution has already
happened while the organisation claims these projects
are still on.
DRDO has to spin such claims. Everyone does. The real
story is not all good. We need to change the working
model to unleash the capabilities of our people.
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