iDex signed 102 contracts so far for prototype development: MoD

New Delhi: "Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) has engaged 136 start-ups so far and 102 contracts have been signed for prototype development", Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt told Rajya Sabha on Monday. He was replying to RS MP Sandosh Kumar P. Moreover, the Ministry of Defence has also accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for 14 iDEX products, paving the way for placement of orders on the iDEX winners, he added.

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) framework was launched by the Government with the aim to foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace Sector by engaging Industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, and R&D institutes and academia and promoting self-reliance. Under the iDEX framework so far, seven editions of Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC) have been launched.

The Government has approved a central sector scheme for iDEX with budgetary support of Rs 498.78 crore for the five years from 2021-22 to 2025-26. The problem statements emanating from defence forces are launched under the iDEX framework for the development of technology and prototypes thus, addressing the real-time problems of defence forces.

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