HYDERABAD (PTI): The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is going to establish a research cell at Indian Institute of Technology here to meet the future defence technological requirements of the country.

The DRDO - IITH Research Cell will undertake basic and applied research programmes in identified technology areas, a press release from the institute said on Monday.

An MoU was signed during a virtual event organized at the DRDO DG-MSS Office in Hyderabad on July 3 in which officials from DRDO and IIT Hyderabad participated.

Being established as an extension of the DRDO Research and Innovation Centre (RIC), Chennai, the research cell is envisaged to become a Centre of Excellence in conducting scientific and applied research in advanced technologies for defence, it said.

Highlighting the role expected of DRDO-IITH Research Cell, G.Satheesh Reddy, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman, DRDO, who addressed the event through video conference, said,the MoU is aimed at bringing together the capabilities of DRDO and IIT Hyderabad, in order to achieve greater heights in indigenous technology through collaborative research.

"This DRDO-IITH Research Cell will ensure seamless execution of different projects between DRDO and IITH.

IITH has a strong research base in advanced technologies, which will be strengthened for the growth of the country through this cell," Reddy said.

The DRDO-IITH Research Cell will enable tapping knowledge resources in basic science and technology industries that are inter-disciplinary in nature and spread across multiple institutions, besides helping enhance the scientific and technological base of the country in critical defence technology areas.

B.S.Murty, Director of the IIT Hyderabad, thanked the DRDO for choosing the institute for the initiative.