DefConnect 2024: All you need to know about ADITI scheme
Upstox
2 min read • Updated: March 4, 2024, 1:41 PM
Summary
ADITI scheme, with a grant-in-aid of up to ₹25 crore for the startups, will nurture youth’s innovation and help India leap forward in the field of technology, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday launched the Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme at DefConnect 2024 to boost innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies.
Under the scheme, the startups can get a grant-in-aid of up to ₹25 crore for their research, development, and innovation endeavours in defence technology.
"The scheme will nurture the innovation of youth, and help the country leap forward in the field of technology," Singh said.
Falling under the framework of iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence), the ADITI scheme is worth Rs 750 crore for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26. The iDEX framework enables collaboration between military personnel and innovators through a co-development model.
ADITI aims to develop about 30 deep-tech critical and strategic technologies in the proposed timeframe. “It also envisages to create a ‘Technology Watch Tool’ to bridge the gap between the expectations and requirements of the modern Armed Forces and the capabilities of the defence innovation ecosystem,” the government’s release said.
In the first edition of ADITI, 17 challenges – Indian Army (3), Indian Navy (5), Indian Air Force (5) and Defence Space Agency (4) - have been launched.
The defence minister asserted that iDEX was expanded to iDEX Prime to motivate young innovators, with the assistance increasing from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 10 crore.
He stated that the idea behind ADITI, iDEX and iDEX Prime will transform India into a knowledge society. "As times are changing, new technologies are coming into existence. To become a developed country, it is necessary for us to achieve a technological edge. We have to transform our country into a knowledge society," Singh said.
DefConnect 2024 also witnessed the launch of the 11th edition of Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC), introducing 22 problem statements - Indian Navy (5), Indian Air Force (5), Indian Army (4), Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited (7) and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (1) - aimed at addressing critical defence challenges and inviting innovators to propose solutions to enhance national defence and security.