Def Connect: Ministry of Defence showcases the innovations of iDEX initiative

Ministry of Defence (MoD) is organizing the “Def Connect” event on November 11, 2019. The main objective of the event is to showcase the accomplishments of iDEX-Innovations for Defence Exellence.

Highlights

• The event will bring together several stakeholders such as MoD selected startups, nodal agencies of Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, Industrial Associations, DRDO, Defense PSUs, etc.
• The iDEX portal and the DISC-Defense India Startup Challenge are to be launched during the event
• More than 350 startups are to participate in the event

Significance

• The event will help bridge the gap between stakeholders. It will act as a precursor to the forthcoming DefExpo 2020 that is to be held in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh in 2020.
• The event will also help in achieving the defense production target of Rs 35,000 crore by 2024.

iDEX iniative

• It was introduced in 2018 by the Ministry of Defense
• The initiative aims at creating an ecosystem that will encourage technology development in the Defense sector
• The iDex will be operated by the DIO-Defense Innovation Organization. The main functions of DIO includes
  • Check the reports submitted by iDEX
  • Provide high level policy guidance
• The Ministry had also set the Technology Development Fund alongside to hasten the initiative.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2019