The Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) hosted the 24th Indo-US Joint Technical Group Plenary Meeting on February 3 and 4, 2026, in New Delhi.
The meeting was co-chaired by DRDO Director General (Production Coordination and Services Interaction) Dr. Chandrika Kaushik and Michael Francis Dodd, Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies in the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering.
According to a statement issued by the Press Information Bureau, the plenary was conducted in line with the vision and policy guidance of the framework for the India-US Major Defense Partnership, signed by India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in October 2025.
“The delegations reviewed the ongoing cooperation in defense science & technology, discussed associated challenges, and examined proposals to further strengthen collaboration in critical & emerging defense technologies to meet the evolving requirements,” the statement said adding that the “discussions also focused on enhancing the participation of university-affiliated research centers, defense laboratories, and industries in cooperative research & development initiatives.”
Advertisement
The statement further noted that the meeting explored potential collaboration between DRDO and the Defense Innovation Unit under the Innovation Bridge framework and concluded with the signing of a project agreement.
The plenary brought together senior officials, scientists, and technocrats from institutions and laboratories under the US Department of War and the Department of State, along with DRDO scientists and officials from India’s Tri-Services, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of External Affairs, and the National Security Council Secretariat.
