Dr Jagannath Nayak Tipped to Head DRDO; Orders Expected This Month End or Next Month

Dr Jagannath Nayak, Director General for Missiles and Strategic Systems (DGMSS) at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is likely to be appointed the new head of DRDO, according to a report. Orders are expected either at the end of this month or next month. The report is not confirmed by the government.

Nayak took over as DGMSS on July 1, 2026, succeeding U Raja Babu on his superannuation. Before that he was a Distinguished Scientist and Director of the Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS) in Hyderabad. He has more than 35 years in defence research.

At CHESS he led the development, field testing and transfer of technology of India's first directed energy weapon system. As Project Director at Research Centre Imarat in Hyderabad he led the indigenous development of fibre optic gyroscopes, and he is credited as chief architect of the fibre optic gyro guidance for Akash missiles. He holds a master's degree and a PhD in electrical communication engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru.

Other cluster heads have also been named in reports on the succession, including B K Das of the Electronics and Communication Systems cluster and Anupam Sharma of Technology Management. A selection panel's recommendations were reported to be before the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.

DRDO's own website lists Rajesh Kumar Singh, the Defence Secretary, as holding additional charge as Secretary, Department of Defence Research and Development, and Chairman, DRDO.

No order on the appointment has been issued yet.