The Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti was launched by the defence minister in 2018 the objectives it that the mission aimed at fulfilling are stated below. The event was launched with an objective to foster innovations as well as inventions in the IPR Regime. There were also showcased various inventions by the Defence sector such as by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and Ordnance Factories (OFs) which were successfully filed as IPR applications. Numerous scientists were also facilitated by the then defence minister. Further, panel discussions were held to formulate a strategy as to how IPR and defence can function simultaneously and what would be the future strategies in this regard. The event carried the tagline of “Intellectual Property for Self Reliance in Defence”

Further, the various efforts by the Department of Defence Production and Directorate General Quality Assurance (DGQA) were also appreciated for the effort to spread awareness about IPR which would result in further promotion of various creations, innovations and inventions in the sector of Intellectual Property. It was further highlighted by the then defence minister Smt. Sitharaman that India despite being a knowledge hub since ages, has not been able to utilise its full potential in the field of IPR because of the lack of awareness as regards the protection of Intellectual Properties.

The then Secretary, Defence Production emphasized upon the need to eliminate Transfer of Technology from foreign entities and the need to work upon self-reliance in the Defence sector. Further, the IPR sector has gone on to become a key ingredient stimulating innovation as well as ingenuity in the ecosystem. Considering the same, in April 2018, an IPR Facilitation cell was also established with the aim of training personnel of OFB as well as DSPUs (up to 10,000 personnel) so as to enable the filing of at least 1,000 applications.

As a part of these initiatives, a framework, the “Mission Raksha Gyan Shakti” was instituted which is aimed to boost the IPR culture in the sector of indigenous defence. The DGQA (Directorate General of Quality Assurance) has been conferred the power to coordinate as well as implement the programme. The events end objective is to inculcate and strengthen Intellectual Properties into defence manufacturing.

Various dignitaries including the Chairman of the DRDO, the Secretary of the Department of Defence R&D and senior officers of the three Services as well as Managing Directors of all DPSUs were present at the event.