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iDEX 4 Fauji initiative: Defence Innovation Challenge will bridge the gap between armed forces and tech-startups

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CIOL Bureau
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There are a large number of grassroots service personnel serving in workshops, repair depots, and other such field formations. They directly handle and experience frontline security challenges including on the weapons and platforms. With their first-hand experience, they could be a good source of feedback and innovative ideas. They will improve and bring incremental improvements to existing platforms and equipment. It will also bring futuristic ideas for innovations in defence. Thus, iDEX now intends to develop a program - idex 4 Fauji. It will support innovations for/from the members of the Indian Armed Forces.

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Objective of iDEX

The objective of this program is to harness the knowledge and insights of in-service soldiers. It also aims to co-create those solutions sustainably with iDEX-supported startups. The program would create a mechanism to facilitate the service personnel in providing their feedback/ideas. This could enable them to upgrade the existing equipment or improve them with innovations. This would also help in deriving more value and life from the existing hardware available in the field formations. In this process, they would also learn structured innovation and entrepreneurship skills, which can be used for expanding India’s defence manufacturing base over the years.

On the occasion, Rajnath Singh said, “This IDEX4Fauji initiative will bolster frugal innovative ideas from soldiers and help to revolutionise the future of our Armed Forces. Our soldier would not only have a thorough understanding of their own requirements but also have the necessary support of innovators & Startups.”

"We neither have a dearth of talent nor of demand for it. In the absence of a common platform, they were not able to meet up at a commonplace. iDEX platform has succeeded in filling this gap. In the last three rounds of DISC, over 700 startups and innovators had participated. Out of these, we chose 58 participants for innovation grants under 'Support for Prototype and research kickstart' (SPARK)," he added. He further said that the 11 challenges in the DISC-4 challenge cover all needs of the armed forces.

iDEX is being scaled up to open 100 Military Problems, support 300 new Defence Startups and development of at least 60 new technologies and products through the Startups by 2024.