CSIR-CGCRI Signs ₹50-Crore Deal With DRDO to Make Lightweight Bulletproof Glass

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has signed a ₹50 crore agreement with the CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CGCRI) in Jadavpur, Kolkata, to develop lightweight and strong bulletproof glass. Scientists at CSIR-CGCRI have long researched ways to reduce the weight of bulletproof glass while improving its strength and protective ability, and a new glass-ceramic panel, made by combining glass and nano-crystallisation technologies, has yielded the first signs of success.

Lighter bulletproof glass could both enhance protection and reduce the overall weight of armoured vehicles and other defence platforms. Scientists from DRDO's research institutes in Chandigarh and the Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) in Maharashtra are also involved in the initiative. Work is underway to refine the material's properties to meet the operational and safety standards of India's Army, Air Force and Navy.

Advanced defence systems in the United States, Israel and several European countries already use glass-ceramic and transparent ceramic technologies for transparent armour, but such materials are expensive to import. India has so far relied heavily on foreign sources for this technology, pushing up costs; domestic production is intended to reduce that reliance and boost India's technological capability in defence equipment.

The technology's potential has also drawn interest beyond defence: memoranda of understanding were signed with five multinational companies in the presence of senior CSIR and NITI Aayog officials a few months ago to expand its commercial prospects. Officials said that if large-scale production can be started, the country's demand for transparent armour could be met through indigenous technology.