Defence Secretary gets additional charge as DRDO chief

New Delhi, May 28 (IANS) The government has asked Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra to hold additional charge of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) after its head S. Christopher's tenure ended on Monday.

"The competent authority has approved assignment of additional charge of the post of Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development to Sanjay Mitra, Defence Secretary, for a period of three months with effect from May 29, 2018 and until further orders," an official statement said.

Christopher was given one year's extension beyond the prescribed age last year. Though he had been gunning for another extension but the government had dropped hints it was not very keen on retaining him.

According to defence sources, two scientists - G. Satheesh Reddy, scientific advisor to the Defence Minister, and Sudhir Mishra, head of BrahMos Aerospace, - were in the fray to replace Christopher. 

Christopher took over as the head of DRDO in May 2015.

The premier defence research organisation has often been criticised for delayed projects with most of its ventures -- be it Tejas light combat aircraft or long-range surface-to-air missile systems -- have repeatedly missed deadlines, causing huge cost overruns.