The Defence Geoinformatics Research Establishment (DGRE) is a premier research and development institution under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which falls under the Ministry of Defence. Its headquarters is located in Chandigarh. The DGRE was formally raised on November 15, 2020, as a result of merging two older DRDO laboratories: the Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) and the Defence Terrain Research Laboratory (DTRL). This consolidation was undertaken to optimize resources and create a focused mandate for addressing geohazards.
The core mechanism of DGRE is to provide cutting-edge terrain intelligent solutions and actionable intelligence to the Indian Armed Forces, particularly in the challenging Himalayan region. Its primary role is the mapping, forecasting, monitoring, control, and mitigation of geohazards such as landslides and avalanches. DGRE achieves this through the application of geospatial technologies, including remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for weather and avalanche forecasting.
DGRE’s work connects it directly to the military’s operational requirements, but it also collaborates with civilian agencies. For instance, it works with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) to provide sustainable mitigation measures for landslides and avalanches on National Highways. Furthermore, it has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), specifically the Space Applications Centre (SAC), to enhance the use of space-based technology for monitoring snow cover and mountain meteorology. The establishment is also working towards indigenization of systems, such as the development of GSM-based Automatic Weather Stations (AWS), aligning with the goals of the "Atmanirbhar Bharat" initiative and the National Geospatial Policy-2021.