Rajnath Singh to inaugurate DefConnect 2024 to encourage indigenous defence innovation

Innovations for Defence Excellence-Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO), under the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, is set to organise DefConnect 2024 at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi on March 04, 2024.

The event will be inaugurated by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. DefConnect 2024 is a significant event in India's defence innovation landscape, bringing together the Armed Forces, defence industry leaders, start-ups, academia, and policymakers.

The event is designed to facilitate meaningful engagements, display advanced technologies and serve as a platform for collaboration, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the defence sector. It is expected to attract numerous innovators and investors from leading industries in the defence sector.

The iDEX framework, enabling military personnel to collaborate with innovators in a co-development model, has been instrumental in guiding innovation and seamlessly integrating advancements into existing platforms. Military personnel, serving as end users, nodals, and domain experts, leverage their expertise and insights to facilitate this process.

To date, iDEX has initiated 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. These applications address challenges posed by diverse agencies including the Tri-Services, Defence Space Agency, Defence Public Sector Undertakings, Indian Coast Guard, Border Roads Organisation, and others. An All-Women Panel Discussion on ‘Women as Drivers of Change’ will also be featured at the event, aligning with the upcoming International Women's Day on March 08, 2024.

The iDEX winners will be exhibiting their groundbreaking technologies, attracting numerous visitors. This event will serve as a platform for attendees to interact with iDEX startups and gain insights into their innovative technologies. The iDEX, initiated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in 2018, functions as a consolidated platform for various stakeholders in the defence and aerospace sectors. It supervises technology development and possible collaborations in this particular field.

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