The Ministry of Defence has approved over Rs 300 crore from the Technology Development Fund (TDF) to boost cutting-edge technology development and promote ‘Aatmanirbharta’ (self-reliance) in the defence sector. 

This initiative aims to involve private industries, especially small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and startups, in enhancing the design and development of military technology. 

The TDF grants Indian industries, MSMEs, startups, and academic institutions the ability to create defence and dual-use technologies that are not currently available in the Indian defence industry. 

The goal is to establish a research and development ecosystem where industry and academia collaborate to meet the present and future needs of the Armed Forces and the defence sector. 

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.

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 (UGVs), unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (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 NewSpace Research and Technologies Pvt. Ltd. has created a cutting-edge UAV capable of exploring indoor environments under various conditions, including zero light. 

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.