About 70 startups working throughout defence and aerospace domains will show improvements as a part of an business showcase at Aero India 2023. The 14th version of the biennial occasion – to be held from February 13 to 17 in Bengaluru – will host them at a pavilion by iDEX (improvements for defence excellence), affiliated with the Defence Innovation Organisation below the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

“We are interacting with the startups – that include existing and prospective collaborators – and the registrations are being shortlisted. It is early to discuss numbers but we are expecting close to 70 of them at the iDEX pavilion,” a senior iDEX official advised DH.

The MoD initiated the iDEX framework, in 2018, to encourage indigenous innovation in defence and aerospace. The company, consistent with the Union Government’s Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan (self-reliant India marketing campaign), gives monetary grants, helps startups, MSMEs, R&D establishments, academia, and particular person innovators and facilitates the procurement of their merchandise.

Domain vary

At Aero India, the startups will showcase prototypes and improvements below 4 broad themes. Fixed-wing programs, drones and anti-drone applied sciences (weaponisation and payloads), and defence within the house sector might be a few of the themes. Startups that work with AI and robotics, IoT, 5G, blockchain, Industry 4.0, immersive applied sciences together with augmented and digital actuality platforms, and additive manufacturing will show their improvements.

Lt Col Anthony Selva Kumar (Retd), programme director, iDEX, advised DH that the company’s collaborations with startups are vital markers in India’s pursuit of atmanirbharta in Defence. “The idea has been to develop a platform to co-create tech solutions locally. From being one of the largest importers of defence products, India is shifting to a phase of indigenisation,” he mentioned.

iDEX handholds the startups to develop these options, in partnership with premier establishments together with the IITs. It has organised eight editions of the Defence India Startup Challenge the place drawback statements are offered to the startups for decision. The iDEX programme director mentioned the scope of the company’s position has widened in the course of the 4 years, as mirrored within the enhance within the variety of these drawback statements. He mentioned iDEX is offering the startups house at Aero India freed from price.

On the third day of Aero India (February 15), iDEX may also organise Manthan 2023, a defence innovation occasion that brings collectively startups, MSMEs, innovators, business, and army representatives.

As a part of the indigenisation push, 68% of the capital procurement funds for Defence within the 2022-23 Union Budget was earmarked for home business, and 25% of the Defence R&D funds was put aside for personal business and startups.