Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the fourth edition of Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC 4) under Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX).

In the contest, innovators, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups have to find new ideas applicable to 11 specific challenges related to the Indian defence sector.

What is the purpose of iDEX?

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) is a scheme formulated in collaboration with Startup India and Atal Innovation Mission, with the objective of bringing startups to innovate, develop technology and solve problems related to defence and aerospace. 

It was launched on April 12, 2018. 

It aims to create an ecosystem to foster innovation and technology development in defence and aerospace by engaging industries including MSMEs, startups, individual innovators, R&D institutes and academia and provide them grants/funding and other support to carry out R&D. It is expected that India can take advantage of its vibrant startup ecosystem to develop technologies related to defence and aerospace. 

Under the iDEX scheme, Defence India Startup Challenges (DISCs) are being organised. 

DISC comprises challenges identified by Indian forces/defence PSUs/Ordnance Factory Board and are thrown to startups to respond. 

More than 700 startups participated in 18 problem statements pertaining to national defence requirements, launched under three rounds of DISC. 

Over 55 startups/individuals have been selected to receive innovation grants in 15 technological areas through the prototype funding guidelines called ‘Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart’ (SPARK), which entail provisioning grants upto Rs 1.5 crore to the startups on the basis of milestones through multiple tranches.

These startups are in the process of developing latest technological innovative solutions for the armed forces as per their requirements, in the areas such as see through armour, 4G-tactical area network, GPS anti-jam device, counter-measure for unmanned drones, unmanned surface & underwater vehicles, individual protection system for soldier, etc.

Working through partner incubators, iDEX has been able to galvanise a big startup community to take interest in problems floated under DISC challenges.

The scheme provides for elimination based development wherein for each development, multiple participants are selected and at each milestone, some of the participants are dropped based on progress/performance.

iDEX is being implemented by Defence Innovation Organisation, a SPV floated for this purpose with Rs 50 crore support each from Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). 

DIO has entered into strategic partnerships with leading incubators of the country and undergone international collaborations, especially with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in the US.

Challenges for startups/MSMEs in DISC4 are: 

• Autonomous Underwater Swarm Drones

• Predictive, Preventive & Prescriptive Machine Monitoring

• Super Resolution for Improving Spatial Resolution

• AI based Satellite Image Analysis

• Prediction and Forecasting of Atmospheric Visibility

• Computer Generated Targets for Virtual Training

• Remote Real Time In-Flight Health Monitoring of Aircrew

• MF-TDMA based Wideband SATCOM Modem

• Foliage Penetration Radar

• Reduction of RCS of Naval Warships

• Target Detection in Chaff Environment.

DIO has adopted the product management approach (PMA) to steer the prototype development to a market ready product. The PMA guidelines will monitor product development milestones achieved by the startup challenge winners against the requirement set by the armed forces, the Ordnance Factory Board or defence public sector undertakings.

iDEX4Fauji

Rajnath Singh also launched an initiative called iDEX4Fauji, which will support innovations identified by members of the Indian armed forces and will bolster frugal innovation ideas from soldiers/field formations.

There are more than 13 lakh personnel working in the field and on borders, and they would be having many ideas and innovations to improve equipment.

iDEX4Fauji would allow soldiers to become part of the innovation process and get recognised and rewarded. Services Headquarters will provide support to the soldiers and field formations all over the country to ensure maximum participation.

The initiative will help connect entrepreneurs with the grassroot level innovators safeguarding our borders.

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