Subject Preference: GS III (S&T | Defence Indigenization)
- The News: Apollo Micro Systems received Technology Transfer (ToT) from DRDO to manufacture subsystems for Laser-based DEWs.
- Basics: DEWs use focused energy (lasers, microwaves) to disable or destroy targets like drones and missiles at the speed of light.
- Strategic Autonomy & Defense Context:
- Asymmetric Warfare: Crucial for countering Drone Swarms where traditional ammunition is too expensive or slow.
- Indigenization: The ToT involves the Centre for High Energy Systems and Sciences (CHESS) and IRDE, marking a shift toward involving the private sector in "high-tech" hard-kill and soft-kill defense systems.
IAS-2026 - OPTIONAL / GEOGRAPHY / PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION / SOCIOLOGY / ANTHROPOLOGY / ORIENTATION ON 03 & 04-10-2025 
