DRDO, AIIMS Telangana Unveil Indigenous, Low-Cost Prosthetic Foot

New Delhi: In a significant breakthrough, Indian scientists from the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) and AIIMS Bibinagar, Telangana, have jointly developed an affordable, indigenous prosthetic foot aimed at improving mobility for individuals with limb loss, the Ministry of Defence announced on Tuesday.

Developed under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative, the advanced Carbon Fibre Foot Prosthesis is India’s first low-cost, locally made prosthetic of its kind. It is expected to provide high-quality mobility solutions to amputees from lower-income backgrounds, while also reducing the country’s reliance on costly imported prosthetic components.

The newly developed foot has undergone biomechanical testing and can support up to 125 kg with adequate safety margins. It will be available in three variants, each tailored to accommodate users of different body weights.

“This foot has been specifically designed to deliver performance on par with internationally available prosthetics while being significantly more affordable and accessible to a wider segment of the population,” said the Ministry.

The Ministry further noted that the production cost of this prosthetic foot could be brought down to less than ?20,000 — a stark contrast to similar imported models, which are priced at around ?2 lakh.

The demand for prosthetic limbs in India is substantial due to the high prevalence of limb loss caused by road accidents, medical complications, and congenital conditions. While prosthetics play a vital role in restoring mobility and independence, access remains limited — especially in rural areas where rehabilitation services and skilled prosthetists are scarce.

Designed for dynamic K3-level active users, the new prosthetic foot promises high performance at a fraction of the cost.

“This innovation is expected to dramatically enhance the availability of world-class prosthetics for economically disadvantaged amputees, reduce dependence on foreign technology, and promote greater social and economic inclusion of people with disabilities,” the Ministry added.

With inputs from IANS