New Delhi. DRDO undertakes design and development of products for use by Indian Armed Forces. After successful product trial and evaluation, this technology is transferred to Indian industries for mass production by signing a Licensing Agreement for Transfer of Technology (LATOT).
The current DRDO policy for Transfer of Technology (ToT) came into force on August 19. Till date, DRDO has signed 670 Nos of LATOTs with industries under this policy.
DRDO transfers both Defence and dual use technologies to private companies. As per the LATOT signed between DRDO and the industry for transfer of DRDO developed technology, the recipient industry is bound not to transfer or sublicense the know how/technology obtained from DRDO to any party without prior written approval of DRDO.
Moreover, the LATOT bounds the industry to take all necessary measures to ensure that the technology is not passed on, disclosed, or given access to, except to such of their Directors, Officers and employees and their subcontractors to whom it is necessary to pass on, disclose or give access to, for the purpose of execution or manufacture of the product under the said LATOT.
As per the ‘Security Manual for License Defence Industries’, issued by Department of Defence Production, the Licensee industry is required to put in place the prescribed minimum standards of security and other safeguards for production and sale of defence items, in the interest of National safety and security.
This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt in a written reply in Rajya Sabha on March 27.
