Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE)

Established in 1958, the ARDE claims to be the largest laboratory under the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), employing over 1700 scientists, officers and staff members. In 1966 the facility was moved from the small Ammunition Factory’s campus in Kirkee to its present location in Pashan, by Pune. The current director is Shri Ankathi Raju, who assumed his position in July 1, 2022.

ARDE scientists and engineers work on various defense technologies, including design and development for small arms, armament systems for tanks, and working on warhead systems for missiles. Other projects include developing smoke illuminating munitions for mortars and different High Speed Low Drag (HSLD) bombs.

The level of the ARDE’s involvement in India’s offensive defense technology can be ascertained by the fact that it was one of the few organizations that was still under U.S. sanctions in 2001. Given India’s cooperation with the global war on terrorism, the U.S. lifted sanctions on most defense entities (sanctions were placed as a result of the Indian nuclear tests of 1998). Sanctions on the ARDE were not removed until 2011.