Rajnath Singh Launches Aditi 2.0 and DISC 12 Initiatives

October 8, 2024

India’s Defence Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh, launched two key initiatives—ADITI 2.0 and DISC 12—at DefConnect 4.0 in Delhi. These initiatives aim to strengthen India’s defence technology ecosystem by encouraging innovation and providing financial support for new ideas.

What is ADITI 2.0?

ADITI 2.0 focuses on 19 technology challenges that cover advanced areas like Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technology, military communication systems, and anti-drone technology. The government is offering grants of up to ₹25 crore for those who come up with successful solutions to these challenges.

What is DISC 12?

DISC 12, the 12th Defence India Start-up Challenge, introduces 41 new technology challenges. These challenges include innovations in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and medical technologies. The programme also includes the Medical Innovations and Research Advancement (MIRA) initiative, which focuses on developing medical technologies specifically for the Armed Forces. The top ideas can receive grants of up to ₹1.50 crore.

iDEX Initiative

The Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, which works with the Atal Innovation Mission, supports start-ups and small businesses (MSMEs) in developing new defence technologies. iDEX helps companies create prototypes and eventually bring these products to market. Since it started, iDEX has reviewed over 9,000 applications and partnered with more than 450 companies to boost defence innovation.

Government Commitment to Private Sector

Rajnath Singh highlighted that before 2014, India had limited private sector involvement in defence. However, since 2014, the government has been actively working to change that. The goal is to bring private companies into the defence sector to create new technologies and solutions for India’s military needs.

Funding and Support

The SIDBI iDEX Partner Incubator Fund will provide ₹50 crore to 10 incubators. These incubators will help iDEX winners by giving them the financial support they need to turn their ideas into practical defence technologies.

Focus on Innovation

One of the main goals of these initiatives is to shift from copying existing military technologies to creating completely new, innovative solutions. The government is encouraging private sector innovators to think ahead and develop technologies that can meet future defence challenges, not just the current ones.

Recognition and Showcasing Innovations

During DefConnect 4.0, winners of the previous ADITI 1.0 challenge were recognised for their achievements. Some of the top iDEX participants also showcased their innovations in fields like munition systems, surveillance, and space technologies, showing how vibrant and forward-looking India’s defence technology ecosystem has become.

These initiatives are part of a larger effort to push India towards becoming a leader in defence technology, encouraging new ideas from start-ups, MSMEs, and the private sector.

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