What is Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX)?

About Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX):

• It is the flagship initiative of the union Ministry of Defence.
• It aims to achieve self-reliance and foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace by engaging Industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes and academia.
• It has partnered with leading incubators in the country to provide handholding, technical support and guidance to the winners of iDEX challenges.
• Funding:
  • iDEX will be funded and managed by a ‘Defence Innovation Organization (DIO)’ which has been formed as a ‘not for profit company as per Section 8 of the Companies Act 2013 by the two founder members, i.e. Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) - HAL & BEL.
  • It functions as the executive arm of DIO, carrying out all the required activities, while DIO will provide high-level policy guidance to iDEX. 
  • Under iDEX, financial support is provided to Start-ups/MSMEs/individual innovators and Partner Incubators through DIO.
• It has launched 11 editions of the Defence India Start-up Challenge and recently unveiled the Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies. 

It was the recipient of the Prime Minister Award for Public Policy in Innovation Category in 2021 and is currently engaged with over 400 start-ups and MSMEs.

Q1: What is ADITI Scheme?

Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) is a scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies. It aims to develop about 30 deep-tech critical and strategic technologies in the proposed timeframe.

Source: Defence Ministry signs 350th contract under iDEX for miniaturised satellite