Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an indigenous nanoporous multilayered polymeric membrane for high-pressure seawater desalination- a critical breakthrough under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Key Highilights
| Parameter | Details |
| Technology Developed By | Defence Materials and Stores Research and Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur (a DRDO lab) |
| Purpose | Desalination of seawater for Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships |
| Core Technology | Nanoporous multilayered polymeric membrane |
| Development Timeline | Completed in a record 8 months |
| Trial Platform | Tested in an Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) of the Indian Coast Guard |
| Current Status | Under 500 hours of operational testing for final clearance |
| Significance | Resistant to chloride ion corrosion, ensuring long-term stability in saline environments |
Why It Matters?
Problem Solved:
- Seawater contains high levels of chloride ions, which degrade traditional membranes and affect the reliability of onboard desalination systems.
Indigenous Edge:
- This indigenous membrane eliminates dependency on foreign desalination technologies.
Dual-Use Potential:
- With modifications, it can be deployed in civilian desalination projects in coastal and water-scarce regions.
Strategic Significance
| Area | Significance |
| National Security | Provides self-sufficiency in critical naval infrastructure |
| Aatmanirbhar Bharat | Enhances Make in India capabilities in defence tech |
| Technology Readiness | Fast-tracked from R&D to field trials in just 8 months |
| Export Potential | Opens doors for global naval desalination solutions from India |
About DRDO
| Category | Details |
| Established | 1958 (Merger of TDE, DTDP, and DSO) |
| Parent Ministry | Ministry of Defence, Government of India |
| Head | Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Director General (DG), DRDO |
| Structure | 53 labs + 5 Young Scientist Labs under 7 technology clusters |
| Clusters | Aeronautics, Armaments, Combat Engineering, Electronics & Communication, Microelectronics & Computing, Life Sciences, Naval Systems |
| Key Products | Agni & Prithvi Missiles, LCA Tejas, Pinaka, Akash system, radars, electronic warfare systems |
Notable DRDO Technologies
| Weapon/System | Description |
| LCA Tejas | Indigenous light combat aircraft |
| Pinaka | Multi-barrel rocket launcher |
| Akash | Air defence missile system |
| Agni/Prithvi | Strategic ballistic missile series |
| Electronic Warfare | Radar and surveillance systems |
| Desalination Membrane | Latest innovation for naval self-reliance |