DRDO Develops Portable Water Purifier for Soldiers in Remote Areas

India’s defence research ecosystem has taken another step to support troops operating in extreme and remote conditions. The Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed a portable water purification system that can be manually operated in the field. Designed mainly for soldiers, the system can convert saline water into safe drinking water, ensuring reliable hydration during long patrols and deployments in water-scarce regions.

Why in the News?

The Defence Research and Development Organisation has developed a hand-operated Sea Water Desalination System (SWaDeS) to meet the drinking water needs of soldiers deployed in remote, coastal, and high-altitude areas.

About the New System (SWaDeS)

• A brief overview of the newly developed water purification device.
• The system is named Sea Water Desalination System (SWaDeS).
• It has been developed by the Defence Laboratory, Jodhpur.
• SWaDeS can operate manually or using an engine.
• It is designed to purify saline water into potable drinking water.
• The system is lightweight and suitable for field conditions.

Key Features and Capacity

• How the system supports soldiers during operations.
• The manual version can be carried by a single soldier.
• It can meet emergency water needs of 10–12 personnel.
• Suitable for long-range patrols and isolated deployments.
• The engine-operated version can support 20–25 soldiers.
• It reduces water salinity from 35,000 mg/L TDS to below 500 mg/L.

Operational and Strategic Use

• Where and how the system can be deployed.
• Useful for naval operations and coastal installations.
• Can be used in inland saline areas like Pangong Tso in Ladakh.
• Designed for regions with limited freshwater availability.
• Supports troops deployed near borders and remote terrain.
• Enhances self-sufficiency of soldiers in the field.

Key Summary at a Glance

Aspect	Details
Why in News?	DRDO develops hand-operated SWaDeS
System Name	Sea Water Desalination System
Manual Capacity	10–12 soldiers
Engine Version Supports	20–25 soldiers
Key Use Areas	Coastal zones, Pangong Tso, remote patrols

Question

Q1. What is the name of the water purification system developed by DRDO?
A. JalRakshak
B. SWaDeS
C. AquaSuraksha
D. Varun