DRDO Chief Dr Samir Kamat’s tenure extended by 1 year for the second time

By R Anil Kumar

• Samir V Kamat, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chief, has received a second extension, prolonging his tenure by one year until May 2026. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the extension, citing public interest under Fundamental Rule 56 (d). Kamat’s service as DDR&D secretary and DRDO chairman will continue from June 1, 2025
• This is the second extension for Dr Kamat after he earlier got a one-year extension as the chief of the indigenous defence manufacturer till May 31, 2025.
• Appointed DRDO chief in August 2022, was to retire May 31, 2024
• Dr Kamat known reformer focusing on core science, tech in DRDO

New Delhi, May 27. The tenure of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman, Dr Samir V Kamat, has been extended by another year, a government order said on Monday, 26 May. Dr Kamat’s tenure has been extended till May 31, 2026.

This is the second extension for Dr Kamat after he earlier got a one-year extension as the chief of the indigenous defence manufacturer till May 31, 2025.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on 26 May approved the extension in service of Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development (DDR&D) and Chairman, Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) for a further period of one year from June 1, 2025 till May 31, 2026, or until further orders or whichever is earlier, the order said.

He was first appointed to the highest post in the DRDO in August 2022 and was slated to retire on May 31, 2024.

The incumbent DRDO chief is seen as a reformer in his organisation and would be in charge of carrying out the reforms planned by the government to make the organisation more result-oriented and focusing on core science and technology areas.

Dr Kamat completed his B.Tech (Hons) in Metallurgical Engineering from IIT-Kharagpur in 1985 and PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from The Ohio State University, USA in 1988 and joined DRDO in 1989.

Dr Kamat is credited with providing leadership and direction to several critical material programmes in the DRDO, such as the development of high-strength steels for naval ship hulls, development of high temperature titanium alloys and nickel-based, superalloy-based components for aero engines, development of tungsten heavy alloys for kinetic energy penetrators, development of fused silica radomes for missile seekers, development of armour solutions for personnel as well as combat vehicles and stealth materials for airborne and naval applications.

Dr. Kamat has been leading cutting-edge research and development on materials for various defence applications for the past three decades, and has contributed immensely towards the development of Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Technology in DMRL. He had also played a key role in initiation of important MoUs between DMRL, BARC, IREL, and ARCI for the launch of the Mineral-to-Magnet Programme to make India self-reliant in the REPM technology. Dr. Kamat has provided leadership and direction to several critical materials programmes in DRDO, and has also spearheaded the development of naval systems such as advanced light weight torpedo, anti-torpedo decoy systems, autonomous underwater vehicles, advanced hull mounted and towed array sonars for ships and fuel cells-based air independent propulsion systems for submarines

These have found use in various systems being developed by DRDO laboratories.

In addition, Dr Samir V Kamat has spearheaded the development of naval systems such as advanced light-weight torpedo, anti-torpedo decoy systems, autonomous underwater vehicles, advanced hull-mounted and towed array sonars for ships and fuel cells based air-independent propulsion systems for submarines.

Dr Kamat is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) and the Institution of Engineers India (IEI).

He is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award from IIT-Kharagpur, Metallurgist of the Year Award from the Ministry of Steel and Scientist of the Year Award from DRDO.

Dr Samir V Kamat has published more than 180 papers in international peer-reviewed journals.