RAS question
DRDO's DGRE and ISRO's SAC signed an MoU in February 2026. What is the primary mandate of DGRE (Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment)?
Correct answer: (B) Providing real-time snow, terrain and weather intelligence to the Indian Army for Himalayan operations.
DGRE's primary mandate is to provide specialised, real-time snow, terrain and weather intelligence to the Indian Army for operational requirements in the Himalayan region.
Explanation
DGRE is a DRDO laboratory focused on geoinformatics support for high-altitude operations, not a general weapons or space-manufacturing unit. Its mandate centres on specialised, real-time data and actionable intelligence on snow, terrain and weather for the Indian Army's Himalayan operational needs. DRDO's natural-hazard-management profile places DGRE in work on terrain and snow parameters for geohazards, remote-sensing characterisation of snow cover and snowpack, integrated avalanche warning and navigation, snowpack modelling, avalanche forecasting, and real-time avalanche detection and monitoring. DGRE's operational core is usable mountain-environment intelligence for the Army.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Anti-satellite weapons and cyber warfare are outside DGRE's mandate, which is centred on snow, terrain, weather, geohazards and Himalayan operational intelligence.
- (C) Manufacturing commercial satellite launch vehicles falls outside DGRE's role; DRDO places DGRE in natural-hazard and geoinformatics tasks such as snowpack, terrain and avalanche-related work.
- (D) Oceanographic research for naval applications is outside DGRE's mandate, because DGRE's work is tied to Himalayan snow, terrain, weather and avalanche conditions.
Concept
Defence science institutions often have applied mandates, especially where DRDO laboratories support operational needs rather than headline weapons programmes. RAS often links MoUs and institutional roles with Science and Technology basics.