The Ministry of Defence has sanctioned over Rs 300 crore through its Technology Development Fund to enhance capabilities in cutting-edge technology and promote ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence.
Ministry of Defence Approved Rs 300 crore To Boost Defence Technology Development
The Ministry of Defence has sanctioned over Rs 300 crore through its Technology Development Fund to enhance capabilities in cutting-edge technology and promote ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence.
Fostering Indigenous Innovation
The Technology Development Fund (TDF) is a flagship programme under the Ministry of Defence, executed by DRDO as part of the ‘Make in India’ initiative. It aims to provide grants-in-aid to Indian industries, MSMEs, startups, and academic institutions for developing defence and dual-use technologies not currently available in India’s defence industry.
Objective
The ultimate objective is to achieve self-reliance in defence technology by building a robust defence manufacturing ecosystem in the country. The Defense Ministry has highlighted several successful startups benefiting from the scheme.
Startups
Pune-based startup Combat Robotics has developed a multi-domain simulator for uncrewed vehicles with the scheme’s help. This simulator supports unmanned ground vehicles, unmanned underwater vehicles, unmanned surface vehicles, and UAVs and serves as a development tool for agencies working on autonomous systems.
ChiStats Labs Private Limited is another Pune-based defence equipment startup developing virtual sensors for aero gas turbine engine health monitoring. These sensors are built on modern artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) technologies.
Bengaluru-based New Space Research and Technologies Pvt. Ltd. has created a cutting-edge UAV capable of exploring indoor environments under various conditions, including zero light.
Technology Development For ‘Aatmanirbharta’
The success of this project will open up multiple applications, including search and rescue operations, surveillance, industrial inspections, environmental monitoring, and hazardous environment exploration, contributing significantly to technological advancements in unmanned aerial systems.
