DRDO and CSIR-CGCRI Begin a Rs 50 Crore Project for Lightweight Indigenous Bulletproof Glass

DRDO and the CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute (CSIR-CGCRI), Kolkata, began a Rs 50 crore, four-year project in late September 2026 to develop lightweight indigenous bulletproof glass, or transparent armour, for armoured vehicles, aiming to cut weight and thickness by about 30-50% against imported glass. DRDO's Naval Materials Research Laboratory in Maharashtra and the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh, are partners for testing. Early ballistic trials stopped rounds fired from a Trichy Assault Rifle at 10 metres, with multi-shot testing to follow. The technology could later extend to aircraft and naval platforms, deepening India's defence import-substitution push.