In a major push to accelerate India’s defence modernisation programme, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday unveiled the new Delegation of Financial Powers to DRDO (DFP-2026) framework aimed at speeding up research, development and faster induction of indigenous military technologies into the armed forces.
The Ministry of Defence said the new financial framework is designed to improve efficiency, strengthen accountability and ensure quicker execution of strategic research and development projects being undertaken by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Faster path from lab to battlefield
According to the defence ministry’s press release, Rajnath Singh said the new DFP-2026 framework will significantly reduce delays in moving defence technologies, systems and military platforms developed by DRDO from the research stage into actual deployment with India’s armed forces.
The Defence Minister said the move is expected to facilitate faster production and induction of critical defence technologies, helping India strengthen its operational preparedness amid evolving security challenges.
According to the government, one of the biggest objectives of the new framework is to ensure technologies emerging from India’s defence R&D ecosystem reach the military faster, reducing procedural bottlenecks that often delay deployment.
Major boost to Aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence sector
The government said the reforms will also deepen collaboration between DRDO, private industry and academic institutions, strengthening India’s larger Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission in the defence sector. Rajnath Singh said the revised system will help India move closer toward self-reliance in advanced defence technologies while reducing long-term dependence on foreign military imports.
The defence ministry also said that stronger partnerships with industry and research institutions are expected to accelerate innovation and improve the pace of indigenous defence production.
What changes under DFP-2026?
According to the Ministry of Defence, the new framework significantly expands financial powers across different levels within the Department of Defence Research and Development. The revised structure addresses several long-standing operational requirements.
Key reforms include dedicated financial provisions for trial campaigns, testing and evaluation activities, authorisation for sanctioning pre-project research and development initiatives, clear segregation of financial powers for grants-in-aid and external research projects, separate financial mechanisms for Extra-Mural Research Projects, funding provisions for Defence Innovation Accelerator Centres of Excellence amd improved support for projects under the Technology Development Fund.
According to the defence ministry, the changes are aimed at giving DRDO greater operational flexibility while reducing approval delays in high-priority defence projects.
Focus on speeding up indigenous military development
The government believes faster financial approvals will directly improve India’s ability to develop advanced military systems domestically and ensure quicker deployment of indigenous platforms for the armed forces. The reform comes at a time when India is aggressively expanding domestic defence production under the government’s self-reliance strategy while boosting exports of indigenous military equipment globally.
The new framework is expected to play a critical role in accelerating innovation across sectors including missile systems, advanced sensors, unmanned platforms, electronic warfare systems and next-generation battlefield technologies.
Senior defence leadership present at launch
The event in New Delhi was attended by several top defence officials, including General NS Raja Subramani, Defence Secretary and DRDO Chairman Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Ex-Servicemen Welfare) Sukriti Likhi and other senior officials from India’s defence establishment.
With DFP-2026, the government is signalling a major shift toward faster execution of defence research projects, as India continues to focus on building a stronger indigenous military-industrial ecosystem capable of meeting future security demands.