The Design Research Laboratory (DRL), established in 2012 in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Ropar, is an interdisciplinary research facility focused on advancing engineering design, innovation, sustainability, and technology-enabled product development. The laboratory works across diverse research areas including product design and development, design creativity, design methodology, sustainable manufacturing, engineering aesthetics, automotive design, agricultural systems, Industry 4.0 and 5.0, supply chains, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

DRL brings together engineering design, experimentation, computational tools, digital technologies, prototyping, and decision-support approaches to address contemporary industrial and societal challenges. The laboratory encourages the development of innovative methodologies, intelligent systems, sustainable products, and practical engineering solutions through multidisciplinary research and collaboration. An important focus of DRL is to provide a stimulating environment for undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, and collaborative research. Students and researchers are encouraged to explore new ideas, develop prototypes, evaluate design alternatives, and translate research outcomes into meaningful applications.

The laboratory also promotes interaction with academic institutions, industries, researchers, innovators, and entrepreneurs, creating opportunities for collaborative research, technology development, knowledge exchange, and innovation. Through its research and educational activities, DRL strives to advance human-centred design, responsible innovation, sustainability, creativity, and emerging technologies, with the broader objective of developing engineering solutions that are relevant, practical, future-oriented, and impactful.