The foundation stone for the construction of Advanced Defence Aerospace Research and Development Centre at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay will be laid on November 12, 2016. The foundation stone will be laid in the presence of Manohar Parrikar, Director of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Directors of Indian Institute of Technology, Madras and IIT-Bombay, will also be present on occasion.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between DRDO, IIT-Bombay & IIT-Madras for advanced defence-related aerospace research and development. For this purpose, DRDO will finance Rs. 400 crore to IIT-B & IIT-M.
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One of the officials of DRDO explained that technology and products under development include aircraft that can morph into a missile as well as gas turbine engines which are used to run aircraft and missile propulsion and hypersonic. It enables flights to go at several times the speed of sound. To carry out research activities, PhD students will take over the project for DRDO to conduct research and build aeronautical related equipment. IIT-Bombay will act as administrative headquarters for the research activity.
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On the other hand, the R&D centre at IIT-Madras has 45 faculties across eight departments who will participate in the project and 25 faculties from IIT-Bombay will take part in the research activities. It is one of the first kinds of research activities that is being conducted in India.
Recently, IIT-Gandhinagar has signed a MoU with IIT-Bombay Alumni Association and Tata Motors to help undergraduate students financially at IIT-Gandhinagar. A total number of five students will be selected and be provided funding as a part of this scheme.