At the Raksha Navachar Samvaad: Interaction with iDEX Startups event, ahead of the National Conference at Vigyan Bhawan on October 7, 2025, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh declared, “The battlefield has changed. Tomorrow’s wars will be fought with algorithms, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence. Drones, anti‑drone systems, quantum computing, and directed‑energy weapons will define the future. We saw a demonstration of such during Operation Sindoor as well.” He urged innovators to look beyond existing tools and imagine technologies that will redefine how wars are fought. “We must not remain imitators or followers in technology — we must become the creators and standard‑setters for the world.”
He also pointed to measurable progress in India’s indigenisation of defence acquisitions: domestic capital procurement rose from ₹74,000 crore in 2021‑22 to ₹1.2 lakh crore in 2024‑25. This, he said, is “not merely a statistical change but a change in mindset from dependence to confidence.” Under the Government’s Public Procurement Policy, at least 25% of annual procurement is now reserved for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs), and over 350 items have been specifically earmarked for them. “India’s self‑reliance in defence has moved from being a slogan to becoming a movement. From policy to practice and from innovation to impact, this transformation has been made possible by our innovators, startups, and young entrepreneurs.”
Addressing startups directly, he challenged them: India has more than 100 unicorns today, but none in the defence space. “Let the first Defence Unicorn of India emerge from among you. It will be a matter of pride not only for you but for the entire nation.” Shri Singh reaffirmed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment: the Government will continue backing innovators and startups at every stage, from ideation through to implementation.
He praised the collective effort of innovators in achieving defence production worth ₹1.5 lakh crore and exports exceeding ₹23,000 crore in the last financial year. “You are the architects of a new India that believes in designing, developing and producing for itself. The energy and innovation you bring are key to realising the Prime Minister’s vision of a technologically self‑reliant India,” he emphasized.
Reflecting on the origins of iDEX in 2018, Shri Singh described it as a transformational move that democratised defence innovation in India. At its launch, the idea was simple but bold: to connect the talent of India’s youth with the technical needs of the Armed Forces. “Today, in just seven years, more than 650 iDEX winners have emerged, and prototype procurements worth over ₹3,000 crore have been enacted. This marks a revolution in India’s defence innovation landscape,” he added.
The event, organised by iDEX under the Department of Defence Production (DDP), Ministry of Defence, featured an exhibition of defence innovations developed under iDEX and ADITI. Raksha Mantri interacted with the innovators, praising their breakthroughs. Panel discussions and experience‑sharing sessions tackled topics such as scaling defence startups, bridging innovation and production, and accelerating Aatmanirbharta through R&D collaboration. Senior defence officials — including Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, DDR&D & DRDO Chairman Dr Samir V Kamat, and the Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar — along with stakeholders from startups, MSMEs, industry, and PSUs, were also in attendance.
