Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is set to inaugurate DefConnect 4.0 in Delhi on Monday, marking a significant advancement in promoting indigenous innovation and celebrating the country’s expanding defence ecosystem. The event, organized by the Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation (iDEX-DIO) under the Ministry of Defence’s Department of Defence Production, will take place at the Manekshaw Centre in Delhi Cantonment. It aims to unite armed forces, defence PSUs, innovators, and policymakers to explore ways to enhance indigenous innovation.
The event will showcase a Technology Showcase, allowing iDEX innovators to present their cutting-edge technologies, advanced capabilities, and groundbreaking products. According to a release from the Defence Ministry, DefConnect 4.0 represents a key milestone in India’s defence innovation journey, bringing together the Armed Forces, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs), industry leaders, innovators, start-ups, MSMEs, academia, incubators, investors, and policymakers.
This showcase aims to engage a diverse range of stakeholders, fostering collaboration and encouraging dialogue to drive innovation forward. DefConnect 4.0 will feature launches and announcements from the Defence Minister, along with interactive sessions involving industry leaders and defence experts. Additionally, there will be a themed session focusing on recent budget announcements, key insights for the defence innovation ecosystem, and the latest initiatives in the semiconductor sector.
To date, iDEX has launched 11 editions of the Defence India Start-up Challenges and received over 9,000 applications. It is currently collaborating with more than 450 start-ups and MSMEs on significant projects. Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2018, iDEX continues to serve as a unified platform for various stakeholders in the defence and aerospace sectors, contributing to the vision of a developed India by 2047, as stated by the Ministry.