"DRDO wants ITI to manufacture portable ventilators and is transferring technology to us. Once, we come up with a final product and after due test procedures, we'll be able to produce such ventilators," ITI chairman Rakesh Mohan Agarwal said.

In the wake of the ongoing pandemic, medical experts say that India would require several thousand ventilators and its absence may impair the country's healthcare system to respond to rising epidemic cases. With a population of 1.33 billion, India has nearly 50,000 ventilators.

Agarwal said that ITI is well poised to fast-track the production amid the present Covid-19 situation, and have plans to undertake manufacturing in its Bengaluru facility.

ITI is a state-owned electronics product manufacturer under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that produces radio modems, optical networks, smart metres, and Wi-Fi access points, with the defencesector contributing to a third or nearly 35% of itsoverall revenue.

“Once we come up with the product prototype, ITI will be able to produce portable ventilators within the next 30 to 60 days”, the top official said and added that the apparent challenge would be on the component sourcing front.

The state-controlled telecom technology company is signing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with DRDO this week.

"The only thing that worries us is component sourcing. We will require components locally as well as from other countries which appears to bea cumbersome task during the current lockdown," he added.

Agarwal further said that portable ventilators could not be used merely in the present Covid-19 crisis but would be required in the future by the army and paramilitary forces and defense hospitals.

With a strong order book worth about Rs 20,000 crore, the state-owned ITI is expecting to continue with a growth momentum of nearly 35%. In Q3 December 2019, the public sector firm posted a turnover of Rs 979 crore, up 53% over the same quarter last year.

ITI's consolidated net profit surged 1139% to Rs 168.25 crore on 47% jump in net sales to Rs 827.95 crore in Q3 December 2019 over Q3 December 2018.

ITI is a state-owned electronics product manufacturer under the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) that produces radio modems, optical networks, smart metres, and Wi-Fi access points, with the defence sector contributing to a third or nearly 35% of its overall revenue.