Q. With reference to the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, consider the following statements:
1.It aims to foster innovation and technology development in Defence and Aerospace.
2.Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is responsible for funding and managing iDEX.
3.The primary function of the iDEX Investor Hub (iIH) is to accelerate investments in the Defence sector.
4.The initiative mandates that all Indian military equipment be domestically produced.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation –
Statements 1 and 3 are correct. The primary goal of iDEX is to promote innovation and technology development in the Defence and Aerospace sectors by engaging industries, including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes, and academia. The iDEX Investor Hub (iIH) was launched to accelerate investments in the Defence sector, aiming to augment the growth of the startup ecosystem by facilitating investments.
Statements 2 and 4 are incorrect. iDEX is funded and managed by the Defence Innovation Organization (DIO). The DIO is a ‘not for profit’ company formed under the aegis of the Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence. While iDEX aims to foster innovation and self-reliance in Defence and Aerospace, it does not mandate that all Indian military equipment be domestically produced. The initiative focuses on creating an ecosystem for innovation and technology development rather than imposing production mandates.
Source: AIR
