India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday announced a crucial tie-up with Russia’s Rosoboronexport to develop an igniter that will meet the “futuristic requirements of high-performance propulsion systems”.
The propulsion systems are the power behind rockets and missiles.
Known as Advanced Pyrotechnic Ignition Systems, the technical agreement between the two companies was signed during DefExpo 2020 in Lucknow on Friday.
“This technology development will facilitate design and development of state of art solid rocket motors for upcoming products. These products will be based on compact and energy efficient propulsion systems,” K.P.S Murthy, High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) said on Friday.
HEMRL is a DRDO laboratory that works on the development of a spectrum of high energy materials required for missiles, rockets and guns.
Its solid propellant rocket has found a wide application and adaptation in sounding rockets, launch vehicles, and ballistic missiles in India.
Advanced missile systems such as Trishul, Akash, NAG, ASTRA, and Agni are based on solid propellant rocket and DRDO aims to boost the power of all the missile systems in near future.
The ASTRA air-to-air missile system has already completed its evaluation trial and is ready for induction.
DRDO chief G. Sateesh Reddy recently said that defence scientists have been working to double the range of the missile from 110 kms, making it the most lethal beyond-the-visual-range missile.
The agreement will also boost the strength of domestic space rockets as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) remains dependent on foreign rockets to launch heavy satellites.