New Delhi: The Defence Ministry in a statement said that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was signed on November 23 for technical collaboration, joint research and development in the field of defence technology.

The memorandum of understanding was signed by Lt General JP Mathew, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC), Ministry of Defence (MoD) and N Kalaiselvi, Director General, CSIR & Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST).

The MoU aims to provide an umbrella framework for initiating collaborative interaction between CSIR Labs, HQ IDS and armed forces for enhancing scientific understanding of technologies related to defence and undertaking joint research and development in dual-use technologies.

The HQ IDS and CSIR both share a common interest in undertaking joint research and development in defence technologies for mutual benefit, in the true spirit of ‘scientific cooperation’ in support of Indian Armed Forces, the Defence Ministry added.

This partnership between the HQ IDS and CSIR will also accelerate the indigenisation efforts of the armed forces for achieving ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.