Govt Invests Rs 1,264 Crore In Defence Research And Innovation

The government has rolled out several initiatives aimed at transforming India into a global hub for defence research and technology, involving projects worth an estimated Rs 1,264 crore. These initiatives include significant participation from MSMEs, start-ups, and academia, as outlined by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Friday. The details were shared in an official release from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

A key initiative in this effort is the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme, a flagship programme under the MoD executed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Seth informed the Lok Sabha that a total of 79 projects, valued at Rs 334.02 crore, have been sanctioned under the TDF scheme to develop defence technologies. "The TDF scheme is designed to encourage industries, particularly micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and start-ups, to develop cutting-edge defence technologies," he said. In alignment with the government’s 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' (Self-reliant India) vision, the scheme aims to integrate new industries into the design and manufacturing processes of defence technologies. Under this scheme, the government provides up to Rs 50 crore per project as a grant-in-aid.

Another significant development is the establishment of DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoEs), designed to foster collaboration between academia, industry, and DRDO. Seth shared that the DRDO has established 15 DIA-CoEs across the country and sanctioned around Rs 930 crore for 264 projects under its Grants-in-Aid scheme. These centres, located at prestigious institutions like the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore, various Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and central and state universities, focus on research in key defence and security areas. They are equipped with state-of-the-art labs and infrastructure to attract top-tier researchers and innovators.

The government has also launched the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) framework to foster innovation in the defence and aerospace sectors by engaging MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes, and academia. A scheme to scale up iDEX, with a budget of Rs 498.80 crore for the period from 2021-22 to 2025-26, was launched in May 2021. This scheme aims to provide financial support to nearly 300 start-ups, MSMEs, and individual innovators, as well as 20 partner incubators under the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) framework.

Further promoting innovation, DRDO has been organising the Pan India Dare to Dream Innovation Contest since 2019 to bring together innovators, entrepreneurs, and start-ups. Seth noted, "Through this contest, DRDO invites ideas, selects the best, and awards them." Four editions of the Dare to Dream Contest have already been successfully conducted, with Dare to Dream 5.0 launched on October 18, 2024. A total of Rs 5.43 crore has been awarded as cash prizes to the winners of the first four editions. Winners are also supported by DRDO in transforming their ideas into prototypes through the TDF scheme.

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