DRDO Daksh
India's robot that walks up to a bomb so a soldier doesn't have to.
In one sentence
Daksh is an Indian Army robot that goes into a possible bomb scene, scans suspicious objects with X-rays, and safely disrupts them.
The wow factor
Three things that make DRDO Daksh genuinely impressive.
It saved hundreds of soldier lives across thousands of EOD missions.
Its X-ray scanner can see through car doors and luggage to identify IEDs.
'Daksh' means 'competent' or 'skilled' in Sanskrit.
How it works
A step-by-step breakdown, in plain English.
- 1Tracked chassis carries 360 kg up stairs and over rough terrain.
- 2A robotic arm with X-ray and camera approaches the suspicious object.
- 3X-ray imaging identifies bomb internals; thermal/optical sensors locate it.
- 4A water-jet disrupter or controlled-detonation tool neutralises the IED.
- 5Operator controls Daksh from up to 1 km away via radio link.
Where you've probably seen it
Featured in DRDO Day demonstrations and Indian defence trade shows like DefExpo.
The team behind it
Built by DRDO's R&D Establishment (Engineers) in Pune. Inducted into the Indian Army from 2009 onwards. Programme leadership across multiple DRDO scientists.
The full story
DRDO Daksh is a battery-operated remotely controlled explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) robot developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Daksh was inducted into the Indian Army starting in 2011. Daksh weighs 360 kg, can climb stairs, navigate over uneven terrain, scan vehicles for IEDs using X-ray imaging, and disrupt explosives with a portable jamming system. It has a robotic arm that can grasp and remove suspicious objects.
Why you should care
Daksh is India's first indigenous defence robot to enter active military service. It's done what dozens of failed Indian R&D programs never managed: shipped, scaled and saved lives.
The origin story
Daksh was developed at DRDO's R&DE(E) lab in Pune across the 2000s, with the Indian Army Corps of Engineers as the primary customer. It was inducted into service around 2010.
The problem it solved
Improvised explosive device (IED) disposal was killing Indian Army bomb-disposal squad members at unacceptable rates, especially in Kashmir and the Northeast. Daksh let operators inspect and disarm suspect devices from a safe distance.
How it actually works
Daksh is a 350-400 kg tracked vehicle with a 5-DOF manipulator arm, multiple cameras, X-ray equipment for explosive inspection, and a water-jet disruptor for safe ordnance disposal. Operators control it over an encrypted RF link from up to 500 metres away.
The drama
It almost failed
Like many DRDO programs, Daksh suffered prolonged delays — the initial requirement was filed in the early 2000s and induction took nearly a decade. Multiple subsystems had to be redesigned to handle Indian operating temperatures.
The breakthrough
Daksh's induction into the Indian Army marked the first time the country deployed an indigenous defence robot at scale. Over 60 units are now in service. The platform has since exported variants to several friendly nations.
🇮🇳 India angle
India today: 100% indigenous. Designed, built and deployed in India. Every Indian Army Corps of Engineers EOD team uses it.
What India should learn: Daksh's lesson is patience pays. DRDO programs are slow, but the ones that ship — Daksh, Tejas, AKASH — are durable. India's defence robotics opportunity is huge if we accept multi-year cycles.
The wow facts
1
Daksh can climb staircases up to 40°, traverse trenches, and operate continuously for over 3 hours.
2
It carries portable X-ray equipment that can image a suspect package from multiple angles before disrupting it.
3
Daksh was the first DRDO product to win the Raksha Mantri's Award for Excellence in indigenous defence technology.
The legacy
Daksh proved India can build complex defence robots end-to-end. The follow-on programs — armed UGVs, surveillance robots — all build on Daksh's electronics and chassis design.
Economic impact
Daksh saved lives — that's the real ROI. Comparable foreign robots (TALON, Packbot) cost $200K-$400K each; Daksh is significantly cheaper while doing the same job.
Jobs affected
EOD (explosive ordnance disposal) operator roles are redistributed — not reduced. Daksh keeps humans further from the bomb.
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DRDO Daksh in 2 minutes
Learn the science behind DRDO Daksh
Three Atlas entries that explain how DRDO Daksh actually works.
Mind-blowing facts
'Daksh' means 'competent' or 'skilled' in Sanskrit.
The Indian Army inducted Daksh into service starting in 2011.
Daksh's X-ray scanner can see through car doors and luggage to identify IEDs.