News Excerpt:

The Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) Scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies.

ADITI scheme:

• The scheme was launched during DefConnect 2024 in New Delhi.
• It falls under the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) framework of the Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence.
• The ADITI scheme allocated  Rs 750 crore for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26.
• Under the scheme, start-ups are eligible to receive a grant-in-aid of up to Rs 25 crore for their research, development, and innovation endeavours in defence technology.
• It targets the development of approximately 30 deep-tech critical and strategic technologies, with a focus on bridging the gap between the expectations of modern Armed Forces and the capabilities of the defence innovation ecosystem.
• It is part of the government's efforts to promote domestic manufacturing and boost the economy, including earmarking 75% of the defence capital procurement budget for Indian companies.

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX):

• iDEX is the operational framework of the Defence Innovation Organization (DIO).
• DIO is a special purpose vehicle under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence. 
• The iDEX framework was launched by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018 to support innovation for Indian Defence and create pathways for the adoption of technologies in the Indian armed services, as well as seeding India’s future Defence enterprises.