ADITI Scheme:
The Union Minister of Defence launched the ADITI scheme during DefConnect 2024.
- Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) is a scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies.
- It aims to develop about 30 deep-tech critical and strategic technologies in the proposed timeframe.
- Under this scheme start-ups are eligible to receive grant-in-aid of up to Rs 25 crore for their research, development and innovation endeavours in defence technology.
- This scheme worth Rs 750 crore for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26.
- It falls under the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) framework of Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence.
- It also envisages to create a ‘Technology Watch Tool’ to bridge the gap between the expectations and requirements of the modern Armed Forces and the capabilities of the defence innovation ecosystem.
- In the first edition of ADITI, 17 challenges – Indian Army (3), Indian Navy (5), Indian Air Force (5) and Defence Space Agency (4) – have been launched.
- To motivate young innovators, iDEX was expanded to iDEX Prime, with the assistance increasing from Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 10 crore.
