The third edition of the INDUS-X Summit, which took place on September 9-10, 2024, in California, showcased substantial advancements in fostering a collaborative defence innovation ecosystem between India and the USA. Co-hosted by the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and Stanford University, the event centered on strengthening defence cooperation through innovation, joint research, and investment.
Aim of INDUS-X Summit
To expand strategic technology partnership and defense industrial cooperation between governments, businesses and academic institutions of India and US.
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Significance
- This initiative builds on a commitment by the U.S. and Indian National Security Advisors in January 2023.
- They committed to launch an “Innovation Bridge” to connect U.S. and Indian defence start-ups as part of the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET).
What happened at the Summit
- A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was established between India’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and the U.S. Department of Defense’s Innovation Unit (DIU). This MoU aims to boost collaboration in defence innovation, with a focus on strengthening partnerships among industry, research, and investment communities.
- A new challenge under the INDUS-X framework has been unveiled to encourage the development of advanced defence technologies.
- The INDUS-X Impact Report was published, highlighting the progress of the initiative since June 2023.
- The official INDUS-X webpage has been launched on both the iDEX and DIU websites.
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Key Outcomes
An agreement was signed between India’s Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and the US Department of Defense’s Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) to boost collaboration in defence innovation. The summit also saw the unveiling of the INDUS-X Impact Report and the debut of the initiative’s official webpage on iDEX and DIU platforms.
Leadership and Commitment
Amit Satija, Joint Secretary (Defence Industries Promotion), led the Indian delegation, reinforcing India and the USA’s dedication to advancing defence technology through strategic collaboration. Since its launch in June 2023, during the Indian Prime Minister’s state visit to the US, INDUS-X has achieved significant milestones, solidifying its role in enhancing the US-India defence innovation partnership.
Benefits
- It created opportunities for collaborative innovation in areas crucial to defense.
- It allowed startups and MSMEs to present advanced defense technologies.
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