The Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) is a Section 8 not-for-profit company formed in 2018 by two defence public-sector undertakings, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited, under the Department of Defence Production in the Ministry of Defence. It manages and funds Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), the ministry's flagship scheme for spurring innovation in defence and aerospace by working with startups, MSMEs, individual innovators, and incubators. From its New Delhi base, DIO has supported more than 650 startups, providing grants of up to Rs. 1.5 crore per project through the SPARK (Support for Prototype and Research Kickstart) framework.
DIO and iDEX have opened India's defence procurement to startups and small firms for the first time. Where contracts once went almost entirely to large public-sector or established private defence firms, iDEX gives startups a structured route to build prototypes, test them with the armed forces, and ultimately win procurement orders, which has created a whole new category of defence-tech startups. It runs through two main channels: the Defence India Startup Challenges, which pose specific problems from the armed forces, and the Open Challenge, which accepts proposals across any defence-relevant domain, with selected teams receiving SPARK grants, access to defence testing facilities, expert mentorship, and a path to procurement, supported by incubator partners such as IIMA Ventures and FITT IIT Delhi.
Notable companies from the iDEX ecosystem include ideaForge, a leading Indian drone maker that is now publicly listed, Tonbo Imaging in electro-optics and defence AI, and NewSpace Research and Technologies in space and defence systems. Deep-tech startups and MSMEs working on drones, robotics, defence AI, cybersecurity, communications, advanced materials, and space technology benefit most, especially hardware teams that need testing infrastructure and a clear route to government procurement. Central to India's Atmanirbhar Bharat push in defence, the programme has grown to support around 1,000 defence startups. It is online at idex.gov.in.
Defence Innovation Organisation currently has 8 programs listed in this directory, including iDEX Open Challenge, iDEX DISC 12 (Re-Open) – Development of Inflight Urination Device for Female, iDEX Open Challenge by DIO. Each program page covers the funding amount, eligibility and application process.
Yes. Defence Innovation Organisation is listed under the government category. Its programs follow official government processes, and applications are submitted through official channels in your own name.
Start with the stages and sectors shown on this profile, then open the program pages for eligibility conditions and document checklists. If you want a structured view, send an enquiry below and an IncorpX advisor will walk you through fit and readiness.
No. Applications are always submitted in your own name with the respective program authority. IncorpX is independent of Defence Innovation Organisation and provides assistance for application preparation, document organisation and prerequisite registrations such as incorporation, DPIIT recognition, MSME and GST.
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IncorpX is a private platform operated by a private company. It is not a government department, agency or official portal, and it is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government body or of any organisation, incubator, accelerator, investor or partner listed in this directory. All program names, logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification only.
This directory is compiled from publicly available official sources and is provided for general information only. It does not constitute legal, financial, tax or professional advice. Funding amounts, eligibility criteria, required documents, deadlines and availability are determined by each program authority and change with every cycle, so the details shown here may be incomplete or out of date. Always confirm the current terms on the official program source before you apply or take any decision.
IncorpX charges no fee for the information in this directory and does not collect, process, lodge or submit any application on your behalf. Applications are made by you, in your own name, directly with the respective program authority. IncorpX provides assistance only for application preparation and for related registrations such as company incorporation, DPIIT recognition, MSME (Udyam) and GST. Eligibility, approval, disbursement and selection rest solely with the respective program authority, and IncorpX makes no representation or guarantee as to any outcome.
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