RT team
The Ministry of Defence has allocated over Rs 300 crore through its Technology Development Fund (TDF) to foster innovation and boost ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence technologies, according to an official statement released on Thursday.
The TDF scheme, a flagship programme of the Ministry of Defence, is executed by DRDO under the ‘Make in India’ initiative. This programme offers grants-in-aid to Indian industries, including MSMEs and startups, as well as academic and scientific institutions. The goal is to develop defence and dual-use technologies that are currently not available in the Indian market.
Through these initiatives, the Ministry aims to engage private industries, particularly MSMEs and startups, to nurture a culture of design and development in military technology, supporting them with necessary grants.
The TDF’s mission is to enhance the capacity and capability of Indian industries to design and develop defence technologies domestically. It aims to establish an R&D ecosystem where industry and academia collaborate to meet the Armed Forces’ current and future needs, striving for ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence technology by building a robust defence manufacturing ecosystem.
The Defence Ministry highlighted several successful startups benefiting from the scheme. For instance, Pune-based Combat Robotics has developed an innovative simulator for unmanned vehicles, aiding in the development of autonomous systems. Another Pune startup, ChiStats Labs Private Limited, is working on virtual sensors for aero gas turbine engine health monitoring using AI/ML technologies.
Additionally, Bengaluru-based NewSpace Research and Technologies Pvt. Ltd. has created an advanced UAV for indoor search and rescue operations, with technical guidance from CAIR, Bengaluru. This UAV technology has applications in surveillance, industrial inspections, environmental monitoring, and hazardous environment exploration, significantly advancing unmanned aerial systems.
