Defence innovation in spotlight at Indian Navy seminar

Oct 29, 2024 07:53 PM IST

Rajnath Singh said the navy received more than 2,000 proposals from Indian industries under the SPRINT challenges in the last two sessions of Swavlamban

NEW DELHI: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday launched the third edition of the ADITI scheme aimed at promoting innovation, entrepreneurship and self-reliance in the defence manufacturing sector, and unveiled the 13th edition of Defence India Start-up Challenges (DISC 13), during the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) seminar ‘Swavlamban’.

The Swavlamban initiative has collaborated with 213 MSMEs and start-ups under iDEX. (Screengrab/X)

ADITI stands for Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) and features innovation challenges from the armed forces, including the designing of a high-power microwave Weapon system for the navy.

“These challenges aim to advance indigenous defence technologies and operational efficiencies,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

DISC 13 presents seven challenges from the three services in domains including artificial intelligence and military communications.

In his address, Singh said in the last two sessions of Swavlamban, the Indian Navy received more than 2,000 proposals from Indian industries under the SPRINT challenges (unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during in July 2022). SPRINT stands for Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through iDEX, Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation and Technology Development Acceleration Cell.

The minister said these proposals have been converted into 155 challenges, which will help in completing 171 contracts.

The Swavlamban initiative has collaborated with 213 MSMEs and start-ups under iDEX. Till now, acceptance of necessity of more than 2,000 crore has been given in 19 cases, of which contracts worth up to 784 crore have been completed, the statement said.

Singh also touched upon the government’s self-reliance push, stressing that the changes brought about in the last few years have created an innovative culture, keeping national security in mind.

“There was a time when we had become so dependent on imports for arms and equipment that innovative ideas could never take birth. Even if there were ideas, there was no system to execute them. Today, we also have a concrete ecosystem, and we are moving rapidly towards self-reliance,” he said.

“Our public sector was already involved in the defence sector. But, when we came to power, we realised that a bird cannot fly with one wing, and there is a need to strengthen the other wing as well. We are making efforts to increase the participation of the private sector in the defence industrial ecosystem.”

Those present included army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, defence secretary-designate RK Singh, and Defence Research and Development Organisation chief Samir V Kamat.

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