IIT Roorkee and India Optel Limited join hands to advance indigenous defence R&D

Roorkee/Dehradun, October 5, 2026: The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) and India Optel Limited (IOL), a Government of India Enterprise under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Dehradun to strengthen collaboration in defence research, technological innovation, capacity building and industry–academia engagement.

The MoU provides a framework for collaboration in innovation, indigenisation, training, internships, research and other activities of mutual interest, bringing together IIT Roorkee’s academic and multidisciplinary research capabilities with IOL’s expertise in defence technologies.
 
Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said, “This collaboration represents an important step towards translating academic research and technological innovation into solutions aligned with India’s strategic defence requirements. IIT Roorkee’s multidisciplinary research strengths, complemented by India Optel Limited’s domain expertise, will create significant opportunities for collaborative research, student engagement, technology development, and knowledge exchange. Together, we look forward to advancing indigenous technologies, fostering a strong academia–industry partnership, and contributing meaningfully to the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat in Defence."

Sharmishtha Koul Sharma, Chairman & Managing Director, India Optel Limited, said, "Our partnership with IIT Roorkee reflects our commitment to indigenous research, innovation and technological self-reliance. This strategic collaboration will strengthen engagement with premier academic institutions to address critical defence requirements, explore emerging technologies and develop future-ready solutions for the Indian Armed Forces."
 
The collaboration aims to leverage IIT Roorkee's academic expertise, research infrastructure and multidisciplinary capabilities alongside IOL's domain expertise in electro-optical sensor systems, weapon sights, communication equipment and defence opto-electronic systems for the Indian Armed Forces and paramilitary forces.
 
The MoU was signed on behalf of IIT Roorkee by Prof. Vivek Kumar Malik, Dean, Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy (SRIC), and on behalf of India Optel Limited by Nitesh Goel, Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
 
The signing ceremony was also attended by Vishal Garg, Director (Finance), and Shambhu Sharma, Director (Operations), India Optel Limited; Prof. Tarun Sharma, Associate Dean, Innovation & Incubation; and Prof. Sanjeev Manhas, Head, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, IIT Roorkee, along with other senior officials and representatives from both institutions.
 
Through this partnership, IIT Roorkee and India Optel Limited seek to contribute to the development of a robust defence research and innovation ecosystem, strengthening the interface between premier academic institutions and India's defence manufacturing sector.