iDEX Challenge Navigator
Defence Innovation Organisation • Open Challenges Database
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iDEX Program Guide
Defence Innovation Organisation • Challenge Types • Terms • Deadlines

iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) is a flagship Ministry of Defence framework launched in April 2018 to engage startups, MSMEs, individual innovators and academia in solving operational problems of the Indian Armed Forces and Defence PSUs. It is executed by the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) under the Department of Defence Production. Four active challenge streams are currently open on idex.gov.in.

DISC 14
Defence India Startup Challenge — 14th edition. 82 problem statements from the three Services and the Coast Guard.
82 PSGrant ≤ ₹1.5 CrDeadline 04 May 2026
ADITI 4.0
Acing Development of Innovative Technologies — critical & strategic deep-tech. 25 high-stakes problems including Mission DefSpace.
25 PSGrant ≤ ₹25 CrDeadline 04 May 2026
DRISHTI
DPSU-driven Research & Innovation for Strategic and High-impact Technology Integration. 101 statements across 16 DPSUs (HAL, BEL, GRSE …).
101 PSGrant ≤ ₹10 CrDeadline 04 May 2026
Open Challenge
Open-theme submissions — innovators bring their own dual-use tech. Aerospace, AI, autonomous, quantum, materials.
Open themesGrant ≤ ₹1.5 CrDeadline 30 Jun 2026

Who is eligible across all streams

  • Indian Startups recognised by DPIIT (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade).
  • MSMEs incorporated under the Companies Act 1956/2013 and meeting the MSME Act, 2006 classification.
  • Individual Innovators — including research scholars and academic institutions.
  • Entities must have the technical capability to build prototypes and undergo defence-grade testing and certification.

Funding vehicle — SPARK framework

Grants flow through the SPARK (Support for Prototype and Research Kick-start) grant agreement signed with DIO. Disbursement is milestone-linked:

Milestone 0
10%
Kick-off on contract signing
Milestones 1–4
20% × 4
Achievement-based tranches
Milestone 5
10%
Final prototype & closeout

Funds must be deployed on R&D, prototyping, pilot implementation and market assessment. Equity or other instruments may be used for structuring the grant.

DISC 14 Defence India Startup Challenge — 14th edition Last date · 04 May 2026 · 17:00 IST Grant ≤ ₹1.5 Crore

Launched by the Raksha Mantri at the National Defence Industries Conclave 2026, DISC 14 invites Indian startups and MSMEs to solve 82 problem statements from the Services — spanning AI/ML, drones, autonomous systems, electronic warfare, advanced materials, sensors and surveillance.

Indian Army
26
Problem statements
Indian Navy
24
Problem statements
Indian Air Force
25
Problem statements
Indian Coast Guard
7
Problem statements

What applicants commit to

  • Submit through the official iDEX portal against one or more listed problem statements.
  • Propose a functional prototype pathway — not just a concept paper.
  • Accept milestone-based SPARK funding up to ₹1.5 Cr.
  • Participate in defence testing, certification and user trials conducted by the sponsoring Service.
  • Support post-prototype commercialisation via the Indian Defence Establishment.
ADITI 4.0 Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX Last date · 04 May 2026 · 17:00 IST Grant ≤ ₹25 Crore

ADITI is iDEX’s deep-tech / strategic track — meant for innovations in critical technologies that give the Armed Forces a long-horizon edge. Proposals are concentrated on complex platforms: submarines, hypersonics, quantum, DefSpace, guided munitions. Grants are dramatically larger than the DISC/Open tracks.

Indian Army
8
Problem statements
Indian Navy
6
Problem statements
Indian Air Force
8
Problem statements
Mission DefSpace
3
Problem statements

Key conditions specific to ADITI

  • An applicant can be awarded only one ADITI challenge at a time.
  • An entity may hold a maximum of five active iDEX contracts across all programs.
  • Expected to deliver field-deployable prototypes that meet Service-grade environmental and QA standards.
  • Heavier technical scrutiny during HPSC screening given the larger grant envelope.
DRISHTI DPSU-driven Research & Innovation for Strategic and High-impact Technology Integration Last date · 04 May 2026 · 17:00 IST Grant ≤ ₹10 Crore

DRISHTI is the DPSU-facing track. The 101 problem statements are authored and sponsored by 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings — HAL, BEL, GRSE, BEML, YIL, AVNL, MDL, HSL, BDL, GSL, MIDHANI, GIL, TCL, MIL, IOL and AWEIL. Each project is managed and funded by the respective DPSU, giving innovators a direct line into large existing production ecosystems.

DPSUs involved
16
Problem statements
101
Largest contributor
HAL
25 statements
Grant ceiling
₹10 Cr
Per project

What’s different about DRISHTI

  • Your customer is a DPSU, not a Service HQ — domain context is industrial (shipyard, aero-engine line, ammunition factory, optics plant).
  • Problem statements include a Tentative total development budget and a nodal PoC at the sponsoring DPSU.
  • Successful prototypes integrate directly into the DPSU’s supply chain — potential for long-run indigenisation contracts.
  • Strong focus on deep-tech hardware: materials engineering, embedded systems, naval & aerospace components, EW, robotics, manufacturing innovations.
Open Challenge Theme-agnostic standing invitation Current cycle · 30 Jun 2026 · 23:59 IST Grant ≤ ₹1.5 Crore

Unlike the other three tracks, the Open Challenge has no fixed problem statements. Innovators pitch their own defence-relevant technology and iDEX, with its Partner Incubators and the Services, decide whether it fills a capability gap. Evaluated on a rolling basis against the current cycle’s deadline.

Preferred themes (illustrative, not exhaustive)

  • Aerospace & aeronautics systems
  • Autonomous systems, robotics, UAS/UGV/UUV
  • Artificial intelligence, machine learning, big-data analytics
  • Quantum technologies, communications, cryptography
  • Advanced materials, sensors, optics, new-generation manufacturing

What to include in the proposal

  • Clear description of the technology and its defence-relevant application.
  • Evidence of feasibility — a demo, MVP, prior deployment or lab data is strongly preferred.
  • Team background and technical capability.
  • A pathway to a defence-grade prototype within SPARK milestones.

Applications for every track are screened by a High Powered Screening Committee (HPSC) drawn from defence officers, technology experts and industry veterans. The committee shortlists tentative winners; the final selection is confirmed on HPSC recommendations.

What judges evaluate on

01
Relevance

How tightly the solution answers the published problem statement and the sponsor’s operational context.

02
Innovation

Originality of the approach versus existing COTS or foreign alternatives; depth of indigenous IP created.

03
Feasibility

Technical plausibility within the milestone schedule and grant envelope — including readiness of enabling components.

04
Comprehensiveness

Quality of the proposal itself: clarity on architecture, risks, test plan, dependencies and cost breakdown.

05
Capability

Team strength, prior builds, access to fabrication/test infrastructure and ability to absorb defence standards.

06
Viability

Sustainability beyond the grant — realistic pathway to Services/DPSU procurement and broader market.

07
Implementation potential

How quickly a field-deployable, certifiable unit can be delivered into user trials.

08
Defence-mission fit

Alignment with stated Service or DPSU priorities and compatibility with existing platforms/doctrine.

Flow of a winning application

  • 1. Portal submission — single-point-of-contact, entity details, technical & financial proposal.
  • 2. Initial shortlisting — subject-matter experts screen on relevance & feasibility.
  • 3. HPSC evaluation — presentations, Q&A, scoring against the criteria above.
  • 4. Declaration of winners — on HPSC recommendation.
  • 5. SPARK Grant Agreement — contract with DIO (or the sponsoring DPSU for DRISHTI).
  • 6. Milestone-linked execution — prototype, trials, certification.

Key terms & conditions

  • Portal-only submissions. Only proposals submitted through idex.gov.in against the stated deadline are considered.
  • SPARK Grant Agreement. Winners sign a grant contract with DIO (or the nodal DPSU for DRISHTI). All disbursements are tied to this agreement.
  • Milestone-linked funding. Funds are released in 6 tranches (10% + 20% × 4 + 10%) on verified achievement of pre-agreed technical milestones.
  • Use of funds. Restricted to R&D, prototyping, pilot implementation and market assessment tied to the selected problem statement.
  • Testing & certification. Winners must submit prototypes for defence-grade testing by the sponsoring Service or DPSU before acceptance.
  • Contract cap. An entity may hold up to 5 active iDEX contracts at any time, and only one active ADITI award.
  • Intellectual property. IP handling is governed by the individual SPARK/Grant Agreement — typical practice allows the innovator to retain IP with the Government retaining licence rights for defence use. Refer to the signed contract for binding terms.
  • Indian-entity requirement. Applicant must be Indian (DPIIT-recognised startup, Indian-registered MSME, or Indian individual innovator / institution).
  • Commercialisation. Winners are supported for follow-on procurement via the Indian Defence Establishment, but procurement is not guaranteed by grant award.

What support you receive beyond cash

  • Mentorship from iDEX Partner Incubators and subject-matter experts.
  • Access to defence testing facilities and Service/DPSU user-trial slots.
  • Fast-tracked certification pathways where applicable.
  • Visibility to procurement agencies and integration partners across the Indian Defence Establishment.
Disclaimer. This guide is compiled from the four iDEX challenge PDFs in this repository, the official iDEX FAQ and the public iDEX portal. Grant amounts, deadlines and conditions are subject to change. Always verify binding terms against the current challenge page on idex.gov.in/challenges and the SPARK Grant Agreement issued to you as a winner. Last updated April 2026.