• Defence Minister launched the Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies.
• Under the scheme, start-ups are eligible to receive grant-in-aid of up to Rs 25 crore for their research development and innovation endeavours in defence technology.
• The scheme was launched during DefConnect 2024 event.
• The ADITI scheme worth Rs 750 crore for the period 2023-24 to 2025-26 falls under the iDEX framework of the department of defence production under the ministry of defence.
• It aims to develop about 30 deep-tech critical and strategic technologies in the proposed timeframe.

 ABOUT IDEX

• The iDEX (Innovations For Defence Excellence) is a well-conceived scheme of the ministry’s department of defence.
• The iDEX initiative was launched in April 2018.
• It aims to achieve self-reliance and foster innovation and technology development in defence and aerospace by engaging industries including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators, R&D institutes and academia.