Instruments Research & Development Establishment (IRDE)

The INSTRUMENTS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ESTABLISHMENT (IRDE), Dehra Dun, under DRDO, is devoted to research, design, development and technology transfer in optical and electro-optical instrumentation primarily for the Defence Services. The origin of IRDE dates back to the establishment of Inspectorate of Scientific Stores in 1939 at Rawalpindi (now in Pakistan) with the responsibility to inspect the telecommunication equipment used by the Army in India.

This AHSP underwent many organizational and locational changes until it took the shape of Technical Development Establishment (Instruments & Electronics) covering both R&D and AHSP functions in the fields of instruments and electronics and was located at Dehra Dun. The Establishment, during subsequent years, shed some of its R&D and AHSP responsibilities and came into existence, in its present form as IRDE on 18 February 1960.