What Happened
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called for a mission-mode push to make India a global hub of indigenous drone manufacturing by 2030, emphasising self-reliance at both product and component levels.
- The 14th edition of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC-14) and the 4th edition of ADITI (Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX) challenges were launched at the National Defence Industries Conclave 2026.
- A total of 107 problem statements were launched: 82 under DISC-14 and 25 under ADITI-4, sourced from the defence forces, Indian Coast Guard, and the Defence Space Agency.
- Singh highlighted ongoing geopolitical instability globally and said drones have become decisive in modern warfare, making indigenous capability non-negotiable.
- As of February 2026, the iDEX ecosystem includes 676 startups, MSMEs, and individual innovators; 548 contracts signed; 58 prototypes cleared for procurement worth approximately ₹3,853 crore; and 45 procurement contracts worth ₹2,326 crore already executed.
Static Topic Bridges
iDEX — Innovations for Defence Excellence
iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) is an initiative of the Ministry of Defence launched in 2018 under the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO). It aims to create an ecosystem that fosters innovation and technology development in the defence and aerospace sectors by engaging startups, MSMEs, individual innovators, R&D institutes, and academia. Participating entities receive grants, funding, and support to develop and commercialise defence technologies.
- Launched in 2018 under Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), which operates under the Department of Defence Production.
- iDEX provides grants of up to ₹1.5 crore under DISC and up to ₹25 crore under ADITI for deep-tech challenges.
- Over 9,000 applications received since inception; currently collaborating with 450+ startups and MSMEs.
- 566 challenges launched to date; 676 innovators in the ecosystem as of early 2026.
Connection to this news: DISC-14 and ADITI-4 are the latest iterations of iDEX's two flagship challenge formats, reflecting the programme's expansion in scale and ambition since 2018.
ADITI Scheme — Deep-Tech Focus for Strategic Technologies
The ADITI (Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX) scheme was launched on 4 March 2024 during DefConnect 2024. It is a subset of iDEX specifically aimed at fostering deep-tech and strategically critical innovations. The scheme has a total corpus of ₹750 crore for FY2023-24 to FY2025-26 and covers 30 technology areas including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, satellite communications, autonomous weapons systems, anti-drone systems, and underwater surveillance. Individual grants under ADITI can be as high as ₹25 crore per challenge winner, significantly higher than DISC.
- Total corpus: ₹750 crore over three years (FY2023-24 to FY2025-26).
- Covers 30 critical and strategic technology domains.
- ADITI-4 features 25 problem statements from armed forces and allied agencies.
- Domains in this edition include AI, quantum technology, military communications, anti-drone systems for military platforms, and adaptive camouflage.
Connection to this news: ADITI-4 expands the deep-tech pipeline as India accelerates defence indigenisation, with drones being a particular focus given their proven battlefield utility.
Drone Rules 2021 and PLI Scheme for Drones
India's drone policy ecosystem was significantly liberalised through the Drone Rules, 2021, which simplified the regulatory framework under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Complementing this, the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Drones and Drone Components was notified on 30 September 2021 to boost domestic manufacturing. The PLI scheme has a financial outlay of ₹120 crore spread over three financial years from 2021-22, with an incentive rate of 20% of value addition and a minimum value addition norm of 40% of net sales.
- PLI scheme total outlay: ₹120 crore; cap per manufacturer: ₹30 crore.
- Drone Rules 2021: no permission needed for drones in green zones; no remote pilot licence required for nano drones and micro drones (non-commercial use).
- The rules distinguish between nano, micro, small, medium, and large drone categories.
- National Drone Policy 2021 envisions India becoming a global drone hub by 2030.
Connection to this news: The 2030 target articulated by the Defence Minister is a continuation of the policy goals embedded in the National Drone Policy and PLI scheme; DISC-14 and ADITI-4 are the innovation-side complement to the manufacturing incentive.
Key Facts & Data
- DISC-14: 82 problem statements from defence forces, Coast Guard, Defence Space Agency
- ADITI-4: 25 problem statements focused on deep-tech and strategic technologies
- Total iDEX ecosystem (Feb 2026): 676 innovators; 548 contracts; ₹3,853 crore in prototype procurement clearances; ₹2,326 crore in executed procurement contracts
- iDEX operational since: 2018
- ADITI scheme corpus: ₹750 crore (FY2023-24 to FY2025-26)
- PLI for Drones outlay: ₹120 crore (FY2021-22 to FY2023-24); incentive rate 20% of value addition
- Drone Rules 2021: liberalised framework with airspace colour-coded zones (green/yellow/red)
- India's target: global hub of indigenous drone manufacturing by 2030, including component-level self-reliance