DRDO Inks First High-Value TDF Deep-Tech Pact for Indigenous 20 mK Dilution Refrigerator

26 September 2026National

DRDO signed its first high-value deep-tech project agreement under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme with Zero mK India Private Limited in New Delhi, for indigenous development of a 20 millikelvin (mK) dilution refrigerator for quantum applications. A dilution refrigerator is a specialised cryogenic system; 20 mK is roughly 0.02 Kelvin, near absolute zero. It is the first initiative under the Rs 500 crore corpus approved by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The project will be monitored and mentored by Dr Meena Mishra, Director of the Solid State Physics Laboratory (SSPL). It supports the National Quantum Mission while cutting dependence on imported cryogenic infrastructure.

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DRDO was established in 1958 and is headquartered in New Delhi | The Technology Development Fund scheme was launched in September 2016 under Make in India and is executed by DRDO | The National Quantum Mission was approved in April 2023 with an outlay of Rs 6,003.65 crore

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