The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has signed over 2,000 technology transfer agreements and issued more than 200 production licences so far in 2024, significantly advancing India’s push for self-reliance in defence manufacturing, a senior official said on Wednesday.“Over 2,000 agreements were signed for technology transfer licences,” said Dr Chandrika Kaushik, Director General (PC&SI), DRDO, speaking at the CII Manufacturing Conclave East held in Kolkata, PTI reported.She said more than 130 private industries have been onboarded as development partners or production agencies in the past five years.Dr Kaushik also highlighted that under DRDO’s Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme, private players are receiving financial support of up to Rs 50 crore per system along with technical guidance to develop core military technologies. “Scientists from DRDO labs are mentoring these industries to ensure the success of such projects,” she added.The conclave also featured insights from key industry leaders. Sudhanshu Mani, known as the architect of the Vande Bharat train, emphasised the need to synchronise manufacturing with logistics, while Tata Steel’s Ashish Anupam pointed out that eastern India’s industrial growth was currently outpacing the national average.The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) also presented its Market Facilitation Services (MFS) initiative at the event, aimed at helping Indian industries tap into global markets.