BITS Pilani, DIAT Pune sign 20 MoUs for defence, aerospace R&D

BITS Pilani, DIAT Pune and defence and aerospace partners signed 20 MoUs at Defence & Aerospace Industry Day 2026 in Hyderabad. The event showcased 48 indigenous technologies and brought together industry, academia and policymakers to advance mission-ready defence innovation

Hyderabad: BITS Pilani, Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), Pune, and prominent defence and aerospace partners signed 20 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) to establish a structured, long-term framework for collaborative R&D, technology transfer and joint commercialisation during Defence & Aerospace Industry Day 2026, held at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad campus here on Tuesday.

Alongside the signings, BITS Pilani and DIAT Pune jointly hosted a showcase of 48 indigenous technology capabilities spanning advanced materials, electronics, AI, autonomous systems, sensors and aerospace engineering. The display drew wide engagement from delegates, researchers, students and dignitaries, who explored pathways for industrial adoption and scaling.

---

Themed “Bridging Academia and Industry for Mission-Ready Defence and Aerospace Innovation”, the summit brought together academic researchers, defence and strategic-sector leaders, and key policymakers to accelerate the translation of advanced research into mission-ready technologies for national security.

The event saw participation from approximately 125 industry representatives from 45 leading companies and defence organisations. Senior officials from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Department of Space, Department of Atomic Energy, MIDHANI, BEL and HAL participated in high-level deliberations.

DIAT Pune Vice Chancellor Dr BHVS Narayana Murthy said the convergence of DRDO, industry and academia was of paramount importance in the context of present-day asymmetric warfare.

“Building agile, mission-ready capabilities requires seamless collaboration to stay ahead of complex global threats,” he added.