Innovation is key to self-reliance in defence sector : Rajnath

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has emphasised on the importance of ‘Ideation, Innovation and Incubation’ in cutting edge-technologies to achieve the goal of indigenisation and self-reliance in the defence sector. He was addressing the inaugural session of ‘Def Connect 2019’ organised by Ministry of Defence to showcase the accomplishments of the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative in New Delhi on November 11,2019.

“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 and development,” Rajnath said.

Rajnath expressed confidence that India will emerge as a net innovator and net exporter of defence technologies rather than a net importer. “Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of USD 5 trillion economy by 2024. Looking at the talent India possess, I am pretty confident that we can become USD 10 trillion economy in the next 10-15 years,” he said, according to a PIB release.

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. Rajnath 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.