iDEX DIO Scheme

About

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) is an ecosystem created to foster innovation and technology development in the defence and aerospace sectors by engaging innovators and entrepreneurs to deliver technologically advanced solutions for modernizing the Indian Armed Forces.

iDEX collaborates with industries, MSMEs, startups, individual innovators, research institutions, and academia by providing grants, funding, mentorship, and other support to develop technologies with strong potential for adoption in India's defence and aerospace ecosystem.

Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC)

As part of the iDEX initiative, the Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) was launched by the Ministry of Defence in partnership with the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM). The program supports startups, MSMEs, and innovators in developing prototypes and commercializing products that address national defence and security challenges.

Objectives

• Facilitate the rapid development of innovative, indigenous technologies for the Indian defence and aerospace sectors.
• Create a culture of collaboration with innovative startups to encourage co-creation for defence and aerospace applications.
• Promote technology co-creation and innovation across the defence ecosystem.

Programme Process

Startups selected through the Defence India Startup Challenge receive SPARK Grants under the iDEX initiative. These grants support Indian innovators in developing defence-grade technologies and products capable of addressing military requirements.

To achieve this objective, the iDEX Program Management Unit follows the following process:

• Organize innovation challenges and hackathons to identify promising defence and aerospace technologies.
• Conduct outreach and source innovative solutions.
• Evaluate technologies based on their utility, feasibility, and impact on the Indian defence ecosystem.
• Support pilot implementations through dedicated innovation funding.
• Coordinate with the Army, Navy, and Air Force to facilitate technology adoption.
• Enable successful technologies to scale through indigenous manufacturing and system integration.

Who Can Apply?

• DPIIT-recognized Startups under the Government of India.
• Indian MSMEs incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956 or 2013, and classified under the MSME Act, 2006.
• Individual innovators, researchers, and academic institutions are also encouraged to participate.

Evaluation Process

Applications are evaluated by a high-powered committee comprising defence and technology experts responsible for screening, reviewing, and selecting proposals under the iDEX Challenge.

Grant Support

Additional Support

• Access to accelerator programmes conducted by iDEX partners.
• Technical and business mentorship from innovation experts.
• Access to defence testing facilities, laboratories, and domain experts for product development.

Permitted Use of Grant

Grant funding may be utilized for:

• Research & Development (R&D)
• Prototype Development
• Pilot Implementation
• Market Assessment