COVID-19: DRDO, ITI team up to manufacture portable ventilators

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Indian Telephone Industries (ITI) are likely to ink a deal soon to produce portable ventilators following the coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak.

"DRDO wants ITI to manufacture portable ventilators and is transferring technology to us. Once we come up with a final product and after due test procedures, we will be able to produce such ventilators," ITI Chairman Shri Rakesh Mohan said on Thursday.

In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, medical experts say that India will require several thousand ventilators and its absence may impair the country's healthcare system to respond to rising epidemic cases. With a population of 133 crore, the country has nearly 50,000 ventilators.

Agarwal said that ITI is well poised to fast-track the production amid the present COVID-19 situation, and has plans to undertake manufacturing in its Bengaluru facility.

ITI is a state-owned electronics product manufacturer under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that produces radio modems, optical networks, smart metres and Wi-Fi access points with the defence sector contributing to a third or nearly 35 per cent of its overall revenue.

"Once we come up with the product prototype, ITI will be able to produce portable ventilators in one or two months," the company said in a statement, adding that the apparent challenge will be on component sourcing.