The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency of the Republic of India, responsible for the development of technology for use by the military. It was formed in 1958 by the merger of technical development establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation. The DRDO has a network of 52 laboratories engaged in developing defence technologies covering various fields, such as aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles and naval research and development. The organization includes more then 5,000 scientists and about 25,000 other scientific, technical and support personnel.

Thrust areas of DRDO in life sciences research are

1. Development of life support technologies to improve combat efficiency
2. Enhancement of soldiers’ health even in extreme environmental and operational conditions
3. Building the human capital for armed forces
4. Development of novel food technologies to ensure appropriate military nutrition
5. Strengthening man-machine interface through human factor engineering
6. Enhancing the morale and motivation of the troops.

DRDO’s achievements in the field of MAPs research are as follows:

1. To counter high-altitude health challenges, the Defence Institute High Altitude Research (DIHAR) has developed, mostly using high-altitude MAPs
   1. Herbal tea technology for its commercial production being transferred and introduced in high altitude ration of army;
   2. A herbal antioxidant supplement to counter high-altitude maladies, formulated and technology transferred with IMPCL, Ministry of Health;
   3. A non-toxic herbal appetizer which is undergoing clinical studies;
   4. Herbal UV protective oil against high-altitude UV radiation;
2. Standardized bulk extraction process of sea buckthorn seed oil using supercritical fluid CO₂. Its biochemical profiling being undertaken, its soft gel capsules have been formulated. Toxicological studies for the same are in progress.
3. Floristic wealth of Ladakh and Lahaul-Spiti with emphasis on MAPs have been surveyed, identified and documented.
4. Rare, endangered and threatened medicinal plants such as Aconitum species, Dactylorhiza species, Ephedra species, Inula species, Podophyllum species have been enlisted and conserved ex situ.
5. Technology for the propagation and commercial cultivation of 30 high-altitude MAPs has been developed.
6. Established an alpine herbal garden of 50 MAPs for R&D activities at Pithogarh, Uttarakhand.
7. Under its Transfer of Technology programme, technology for the formulation of the following polyherbal formulations developed by DRDO has been transferred to M/s AIMIL Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd., New Delhi:
   1. Leuskin for leucoderma developed in the form of ointment and liquid oral dosage has been evaluated on 100 patients with leucoderma.
   2. Eczit, a polyherbal for eczema, as an ointment evaluated in 50 patients with different clinical features and extent of disease.
   3. Amtooth, a polyherbal solution to check and treat toothache due to dental nerve inflammation has been evaluated for clinical efficacy.
8. Patents obtained for
   1. Multivitamin herbal beverage – process of preparation from sea buckthorn fruits
   2. Process of preparation of herbal jam from fruits of sea buckthorn
   3. Formulation of DRDO herbal tea from trans-Himalayan herbs
   4. Process for preparation of a radio-protective herbal extract
   5. Formulation of herbal antioxidant supplement
   6. Formulation of herbal UV-protective oil.