India, US Launch Defence Acceleration Ecosystem 'INDUS X'

India and the US have launched India-United States Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS X) was launched at an event in Washington DC.

The INDUS X event was co-organised by Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), Ministry of Defence, and US Department of Defence (DoD), and hosted by US-India Business Council (USIBC).

Defence Ministry's joint secretary Anurag Bajpai led the Indian delegation in the two-day INDUS-X event on 20-21 June 2023.

A reception for Indian and US Government representatives, defence start-ups, think tanks, incubators, investors, industries and other stakeholders was orgainsed on 20 June 2023.

The keynote address for the evening was delivered by Ambassador Eric Garcetti, the US Ambassador to India.

Frank Kendall, US Secretary of the Air Force, delivered the opening keynote address on 21 June at the INDUS X event.

Highlighting the exponential growth of the India-US relationship, Kendall emphasised that there is enormous potential for startups of both nations to collaborate in deeptech innovations, especially in Space and Artificial Intelligence (AI) domain.

In his welcome remarks on "Investing in the Future of US-Indian Defence Relations", Anurag Bajpai lauded the launch of INDUS X as a landmark event in the India-US partnership.

He underscored the significance of the event, coinciding with the meeting of leaders from the world's two largest and oldest democracies in Washington.

The joint secretary emphasised the importance of co-development and co-production of advanced technologies by Indian and US start-ups.

He urged the participants to establish mechanisms for future collaboration encompassing industries, academia, and investors.

Bajpai also provided an overview of the Make in India initiative, with a focus on Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and the underlying philosophy of "Make in India, for the world."

One of the highlights of the event was a first-of-its-kind joint exhibition, featuring innovative technologies showcased by 15 Indian start-ups and 10 US start-ups from various domains such as maritime, AI, autonomous systems, and space.

Senior US officials, including Congressman Ro Khanna, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Cyber, Innovative Technologies and Information Systems (CITI), as well as co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, and Radha Iyengar Plumb, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, US DoD, visited the exhibition.

The INDUS X event comprised two panel discussions and two roundtable sessions, with a focus on fostering deeper collaborations across diverse domains, including government, academia, and industry, especially startups. The discussions also touched upon export control regulations, fostering dialogue and cooperation in this critical area.