New Delhi, Mar 03: In a bold move towards advancing indigenous innovation and fostering collaborations to tackle evolving security challenges, Innovations for Defence Excellence-Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO), under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, is gearing up to host DefConnect 2024 at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi on March 04.
The esteemed event will be inaugurated by RakshaMantriRajnath Singh.
DefConnect 2024 marks a significant milestone in the nation’s defence innovation landscape, convening crucial stakeholders including the Armed Forces, defence industry leaders, start-ups, academia, and policymakers.
With a focus on fostering collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship, the event aims to facilitate meaningful engagements and showcase cutting-edge technologies in the defence sector. It is poised to attract a large contingent of innovators and investors from India’s leading defence industries.
The iDEX framework, integral to DefConnect 2024, enables military personnel to engage with innovators in a co-development model, serving as end users, nodals, and domain experts. This collaboration ensures that innovation is guided by end-user insights, seamlessly integrating advancements into existing platforms.
To date, iDEX has launched 10 rounds of Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC) and 11 rounds of Open Challenges (OC), attracting over 9,000 applications from individual innovators and start-ups. Challenges have been posed by the Tri-Services, Defence Space Agency, Defence Public Sector Undertakings, Indian Coast Guard, Border Roads Organisation, and other agencies. Additionally, an All-Women Panel Discussion on ‘Women as Drivers of Change’ is scheduled ahead of International Women’s Day on March 08, 2024.
A highlight of DefConnect 2024 will be the showcase of cutting-edge technologies developed by iDEX winners, offering visitors a unique opportunity to interact with start-ups and explore their innovative solutions.
Launched by Prime Minister NarendraModi in 2018, iDEX serves as a unified platform for stakeholders in the defence and aerospace sectors, overseeing technology development and fostering collaborations in this critical domain.
