New Delhi: With India leading in the fields of technology and peacekeeping throughout the world, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on November 11 said “as a major power it is equally important for us to strengthen our defence manufacturing and research & development.”

Inaugurating the ‘Def Connect 2019’ organised by Ministry of Defence to showcase the accomplishments of the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) initiative, he 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.

Singh was confident India will emerge as an innovator and net exporter of defence technologies rather than a net importer. “Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of US$ 5 trillion economy by 2024. Looking at the talent India possesses, I am pretty confident that we can become US$ 10 trillion economy in the next 10-15 years,” he said.

The Miniter 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 and 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.

Singh highlighted that ‘Make in India’, ‘Startup India’ and ‘Atal Innovation Mission’ are some of the initiatives taken by the Government to provide the requisite environment to innovative minds in the country. He said, the aim of iDEX is to recognise talent and harness it among the youth, MSMEs, startups and fast emerging private sector.

The Minister listed out the recent decisions taken by the Ministry including opening of Government testing labs and facilities for private sector; DRDO sharing its technologies with the private companies; and contribution of Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in progress of iDEX to encourage defence research and development.

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 on this occasion.

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.