Dhamra (Odisha), Jun 26 (PTI): With defence technology projects worth Rs 80,000 crore being implemented now, the Defence Research and Development Organisation is looking for augmenting its manpower.

The DRDO has decided to recruit at least 150-200 scientists each year for the next two to three years, for which it is awaiting government clearance, its Director-General, Dr V K Saraswat, said here.

“The value of the projects which we are working now has gone up from about Rs 30,000 crore a few years ago to almost Rs 80,000 crore now. Obviously when you handle this much, you need a really big multiplication of resources,” Saraswat told PTI.

He said the projects which were being implemented now involved both strategic and tactical areas and were fairly large in numbers.

The top scientist, who is also the scientific advisor to the Defence Minister, pointed out that they have initiated operations in new areas, low-intensity ones in particular, like cyber security and energy.

With 52 laboratories spread all over India, DRDO already has a strong team of about 7,600 scientists working on various areas of military technology.

They undertake design and development leading to production of world-class weapon systems and allied equipment according to the needs of the defence forces.