Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), signed its 350th contract in New Delhi. The agreement was inked with SpacePixxel Technologies for the design and development of a miniaturised satellite capable of carrying multiple payloads, including Electro-Optical, Infrared, Synthetic Aperture Radar, and Hyperspectral payloads, up to 150 kgs. This project is being spearheaded by the Indian Air Force.
The contract was exchanged between Additional Secretary (Defence Production) & CEO of Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), Anurag Bajpai, and Founder & CEO of SpacePixxel Technologies Awais Ahmed Nadeem Alduri. The event was graced by Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane and other senior civil and military officials of the Ministry of Defence. SpacePixxel has been a key player in developing and launching high-resolution hyperspectral imaging satellites for detailed earth observation data.
Rapid Progress and Innovation
The signing of the 350th iDEX contract marks a rapid advancement from the 150th contract signed in December 2022, highlighting the initiative's accelerated pace over the past 18 months. This new contract facilitates significant innovation in space electronics, allowing for the miniaturisation of payloads previously deployed on large satellites. The modular small satellite to be developed by SpacePixxel will integrate multiple miniaturised payloads, offering advantages such as faster and more economical deployment, ease of manufacturing, scalability, adaptability, and reduced environmental impact.
In his address, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane praised the unwavering commitment of new defence innovators for their role in advancing technology and safeguarding the nation. He emphasised the critical importance of combining indigenisation with innovation, noting that domestic capabilities lay the foundation for fostering technological advancement. He assured continuous support to innovators at every step, underscoring that innovation drives the creation of new technologies and solutions that can be produced domestically.
iDEX, the recipient of the prestigious Prime Minister Award for Public Policy in the Innovation Category in 2021, has revolutionised the defence ecosystem. Established by the DIO under the Department of Defence Production, iDEX has launched 11 editions of the Defence India Start-up Challenge (DISC) and recently introduced the Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX (ADITI) scheme to promote critical and strategic defence technologies.
In a brief period, iDEX has successfully fostered a growing community of over 400 start-ups and MSMEs within the defence sector. To date, procurement of 35 items worth over Rs 2,000 crore has been cleared. iDEX has also facilitated the creation of numerous job opportunities and played a pivotal role in the development of the defence ecosystem.
