Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX)
Source : PIB
GS III : Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth
Why in News ?
Rajnath Singh approved the budgetary support of Rs 498.8 crore to Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) – Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) for the next five years.
Key Facts
- The budgetary support will provide a big boost to the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan’ of Prime Minister
- iDEX–DIO has the primary objective of self-reliance and indigenisation in defence & aerospace sector of the country.
- The budgetary support of Rs 498.8 crore for the next five years aimed at providing financial support to nearly 300 start-ups/MSMEs/individual innovators and 20 partner incubators under the DIO framework.
- Support increased awareness in the Indian innovation ecosystem about defence needs.
- Also this will helps to deliver innovative solutions to meet their needs.
How this works ?
- DDP will release funds to DIO for setting up and managing the iDEX network in the form of Partner Incubators (PIs).
- DDP communicating with innovators/start-ups/technology centres of MSMEs through the PIs including the PIs of Department of Science and Technology regarding defence and aerospace needs.
- DDP then shortlist potential technologies and entities and evaluating technologies and products developed by them.
Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX)
- Creation of the iDEX framework and establishment of the DIO by the Department of Defence Production (DDP) is aimed at creating an ecosystem to foster innovation and technology development in defence and aerospace.
- The primary goal is delivering defence grade products to address the needs of the military identified through the challenges.
- Engaging Industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes & academia
- Also to provide them grants/funding and other support to carry out R&D development which has good potential for future adoption for Indian defence and aerospace needs.
- Aim
- Facilitate rapid development of new, indigenized, and innovative technologies for the Indian defence and aerospace sector, to meet needs for these sectors in shorter timelines.
- Create a culture of engagement with innovative startups, to encourage co-creation for defence
and aerospace sectors. - Empower a culture of technology co-creation and co-innovation within the defence and aerospace sectors.
- Taking the iDEX initiative further Defence India Startup Challenge has been launched by Ministry in partnership with AIM
- It aimed at supporting Startups / MSMEs / Innovators to create prototypes and commercialise products / solutions in the area of National Defence and Security.
- Functions of iDEX
- Communicate with innovators/startups through the Defence Innovation Hubs regarding defence and aerospace needs.
- Organizing various challenges/hackathons to shortlist potential technologies for defence and aerospace use.
- Facilitate scale-up, indigenization and integration in manufacturing facilities for successfully piloted technologies.
- Evaluate technologies and products coming from innovators/startups in terms of their utility and impact on the Indian defence and aerospace setup
- Interface with the military (Army/Navy/Airforce) top brass about key innovative technologies and encourage their adoption into the defence establishment with suitable assistance (financial if required).
Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO)
- iDEX will be funded and managed by a Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO).
- It is formed as a not for profit company as per Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013 for this purpose.
- DIO will provide high level policy guidance to iDEX and iDEX will have functional autonomy.
- CEO of iDEX will be selected and recruited by the DIO and will be a professional person of sound technical, scientific and engineering background
- It Enable the creation of channels for innovators to engage and interact with the Indian Defence production industry.
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