Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX)

Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX)

Question: Consider the following statements:
(1) The Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence has approved a central sector scheme Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX).
(2) The scheme has been allocated budgetary support of Rs. 498.80 crore for the next 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Of the above correct statement/s is/are:
(a) Only (1)
(b) Only (2)
(c) Both (1) & (2)
(d) None of the above
Answer: (c)
Related facts:

  • On 28 July 2021, the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence has approved a central sector scheme viz. Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX)with budgetary support of Rs. 498.80 crore for the next 5 years from 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Objective:

  • The objective of the scheme is to provide financial support to nearly 300 Startups/ MSMEs/ individual innovators and about 20 Partner incubators through Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO).
  • Criteria to avail grants of Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart (SPARK):
  • To avail the grants under the grant mechanism of iDEX i.e. Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart (SPARK), the eligibility is as follows:
  • Startups, as defined and recognized by Department of Industrial Policy Promotion (DIPP), now DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India.
  • Any Indian company incorporated under the Companies Act 1956/2013, primarily a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) as defined in the MSME Act, 2006.
  • Individual innovators are also encouraged to apply (research & academic institutions can use this category to apply).

Criteria for Incubators:

  • To avail the grants as iDEX Partner Incubators, the eligibility is as follows:
  • The applicant incubator should be registered in India as a legal entity in public, private or public–private partnership mode, and should have received establishment or grant support from a Ministry/Department of Government of India in the past.
  • The incubator must have been in operation for a minimum of 3 years before application for affiliation with DIO, and experience of having supported at least 25 startups.
  • It should have successfully graduated at least 5 startups in the past 3 years.
  • The incubators should have experience of partnering with the research and academia.

Links:
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1739954