Defence India Startup Challenge 5.0 – Check Problem Statement, AIM & Benefits Here!

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Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh launched Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) 5.0 under Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO) initiative, on August 19, 2021, in New Delhi. The Ministry of Defence has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for domestic procurement through the iDEX initiative for the financial year 2021-2022. The Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence has approved budgetary support of Rs. 498.80 crore for iDEX for the next 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

CONTEXT:

The defence minister has launched the Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) 5.0 under Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO)

About the DISC:

DISC is a platform wherein the Government, Services, think tanks, industry, startups and innovators can work together to help the defence & aerospace sectors reach full potential by creating a strong, modern & well-equipped military and equally capable & self-reliant defence industry.

DISC was launched under Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO).

This challenge is meant to achieve self-reliance and foster innovation and technology development across the defence and aerospace sectors.

This challenge was launched by the Ministry in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission.

It was launched with the aim of providing support to Startups, MSMEs and Innovators to create prototypes or commercialize products and solutions in the fields of National Defence and Security.

Thirty-five problem statements

Under the DISC, 35 problem statements were launched consisting of 13 from Services and 22 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). 35 statements were launched from Armed Forces and OFB or DPSUs for the resolution by startups & innovators. These statements are areas like situational awareness, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, non-lethal devices, aircraft-trainer, 5G network, Drone SWARMS, underwater domain awareness, and data capturing.

iDEX4fauji

iDEX4fauji initiative is a similar initiative like DISC. It provided opportunity to Service personnel to showcase their talents in technological areas. iDEX initiative was launched in 2018, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Background

In the earlier editions of DISC, more than 80 start-ups, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) and individual innovators joined as winners across 40 technological areas.  DISC 5.0 was launched three years after the launch of DISC 1.0.

Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)

AIM is a flagship initiative that seeks to create and promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in India. It was launched with the objective of developing new programmes and policies in order to foster innovation in different sectors of the economy.

Recently, the Raksha Mantri had approved a budget of Rs 498.8 crore for the next five years to support over 300 startups and foster innovation in the defence and aerospace sectors. These announcements have provided assurance of domestic procurement for the myriad of innovations and products being developed by young entrepreneurs while enabling India’s defence sector to contribute significantly towards the 5 trillion dollar economy goal by 2025.

BENEFITS:

• It plays a crucial role by providing a platform wherein the Government, Services, think tanks, industry, startups and innovators can work together to help the defence & aerospace sectors reach full potential.
• It gives a new direction to defence innovation and capabilities by highlighting the potential of India’s science, technology and research.
• The initiative has succeeded in bridging the gap between talent and demand in the country.
• The nature of warfare has become technology-driven and these start-ups can play a crucial role in developing indigenous defence capabilities, reducing imports and improving exports.
• It will encourage start-ups to become more attuned to innovative concepts and inculcate the approach of creative thinking in India’s budding entrepreneurs.
• It will help build a strong, modern & well-equipped military and an equally capable & self-reliant defence industry, given the rapidly changing geo-political and security scenario in the world.

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