New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday emphasized on the importance of ‘Ideation, Innovation and Incubation’ in cutting edge-technologies to achieve the goal of indigenization and self-reliance in the defence sector.
While addressing the inaugural session of ‘Def Connect 2019’ here, Mr Singh said, “India is leading in the fields of technology and peacekeeping throughout the world. As a major power, it is equally important for us to strengthen our defence manufacturing and research & development.”
The minister expressed confidence that India will emerge as a net innovator and net exporter of defence technologies rather than a net importer.
“Our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has set a target of USD 5 trillion economy by 2024. Looking at the talent India possesses, I am pretty confident that we can becomeUSD 10 trillion economy in the next 10-15 years,” he said.
Mr Singh stressed that the confluence of knowledge and power are important for the progress of a country adding that iDEX is emerging as a suitable platform for linking knowledge & power and tapping the energy of the youth.
He hoped that this confluence will strengthen the Government’s efforts to create a strong India which will further help in safeguarding the interests of the people as well as respond effectively to any misadventures.
“The human mind is the most powerful and creative laboratory which tests millions of ideas on a daily basis. And when ideas are given the wings of freedom and the flight of imagination, new and innovative solutions are created,” the minister added.
Describing ‘Incubation’ as the most critical challenge, he said, “The idea may be great and the innovative mind can also find a solution. However, unless the process of careful and passionate incubation provides the ideal environment for nurturing and hand holding a creation, projects might fail.”
Terming research, development and manufacturing as collaborative process, he called for building cohesion between public and private sector.
He assured Government’s full support in the indigenization of the defence industry and nation building.
Mr Singh launched the new iDEX logo, its portal (www.idex.gov.in) and dashboard for real time monitoring of the programme. A Compendium of iDEX Guidelines was also released.
The Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC) - III was launched under which three challenges from the Army, Navy and Air Force were thrown open to prospective startups.An iDEX Open Challenge was also launched to provide an opportunity to innovators to come up with their technologies that may be adopted to the country’s defence requirements.
The minister gave cheques of around Rs 1.5 crore each to two startups, i.e., North Street Cooling Towers Private Limited and Chipspirit Technologies Private Limited for building on their innovative ideas.
