High-priority defence projects have missed deadlines: Govt informs Parliament

Twenty-three of the 55 high-priority projects being implemented by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) could not meet the deadlines, the government informed Parliament on Monday.

The high-priority projects included developing anti-air field weapons, surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range radars, combat vehicles, combat suits for submarines and submarine periscopes.

Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt provided the details in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

"Currently, there are 55 numbers of ongoing MM (Mission Mode) projects such as anti-air field weapons, solid fuel ducted ramjet technology, surface to air missiles, anti-ship missiles, long range radars, combat vehicles, high endurance autonomous underwater vehicles, combat suits for submarines, submarine periscopes etc.," he said.

"Of these 55 numbers of ongoing MM projects, 23 numbers did not meet deadlines. Of the 23 numbers of ongoing MM projects which did not meet the deadlines, nine have undergone cost overruns. However, not all cost overruns were necessitated due to time overruns," Bhatt said.

The minister, however, did not provide the details about the deadlines and period of implementation of the projects.