GrantMinistry of Defence (DIO)Verified 11 May 2026Official source

iDEX — Innovations for Defence Excellence

Provides grants up to ₹1.5 Cr (and up to ₹10 Cr under iDEX Prime) for startups and innovators solving specific defence and aerospace technology challenges. Startups apply against Defence Problem Statements (DPPs) released by the armed forces and defence PSUs.

Maximum amount

₹10.0Cr

Typical payout

₹1.5Cr

Processing time

52–156 weeks

Application window

Open Challenge: year-round, quarterly windows (active until 30 Jun 2026). DISC and ADITI: cohort-based, quarterly — DISC 14 and ADITI 4 closed May 2026; next cohorts expected Q3 2026.

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Eligibility criteria

Company type: Private Limited, LLP, One Person Company
Stage: Idea Stage, Pre-Revenue, Early Stage (Revenue < ₹1Cr), Growth Stage (₹1Cr–₹25Cr)
States: All India (nationwide)
Sectors: deeptech, aerospace, defence, robotics, cybersecurity

Documents required

Certificate of Incorporation

MCA-issued Certificate of Incorporation for Private Limited, Public Limited, LLP, or OPC entities confirming legal entity status in India.

Tip: iDEX requires an Indian-registered entity; the incorporation address and entity name must match all other submitted documents. Freshly incorporated entities (less than 6 months) may be asked for additional proof of operational capacity.

Memorandum and Articles of Association (MoA / AoA)

Memorandum and Articles of Association confirming the entity's activities, structure, and authorised share capital.

Tip: Ensure the object clause includes technology development or defence-adjacent activities; evaluators verify alignment between MoA scope and the proposed solution area.

DPIIT Startup Recognition Certificate

Valid DPIIT Startup Recognition Certificate for entities applying under the startup track (conditional — either DPIIT recognition or Udyam registration required; submit whichever applies).

Tip: Ensure the certificate is currently valid — download a fresh copy from startupindia.gov.in before submission. Expired recognition is not accepted.

Udyam Registration Certificate

Valid Udyam Registration Certificate for entities applying as MSMEs (conditional — either Udyam registration or DPIIT recognition required; submit whichever applies).

Tip: Confirm your Udyam classification aligns with the iDEX track you are applying to; ADITI accepts both startups and MSMEs while Open Challenge and DISC focus primarily on startups and individual innovators.

PAN Card (Authorised Contact / Founder)

PAN card of the authorised single point of contact or founder for identity verification. PAN is the preferred identity document.

Tip: PAN must belong to the founder or the designated SPOC listed in the application; ensure the name matches MCA records exactly. Entity PAN alone is not sufficient — individual PAN of the authorised contact is required.

Aadhaar Card (Authorised Contact / Founder)

Aadhaar card of the authorised contact or founder as a government-issued identity document (alternative to PAN — submit either Aadhaar, PAN, or Passport; at least one is mandatory).

Tip: If submitting Aadhaar as the primary ID, ensure the name matches the company incorporation documents. Passport is also accepted as an alternative identity document for founders without Aadhaar.

Technical Pitch Proposal

Comprehensive technical proposal specifying the solution's technical architecture, operational methodology, innovation differentiation, and project milestones mapped to the specific iDEX challenge problem statement being addressed.

Tip: The proposal must directly address the named challenge problem statement — generic technology briefs not tied to a specific DPP (Defence Problem Statement) are rejected at intake. Include a quantified milestone chart that maps to the expected disbursement tranches. For ADITI applications, document the current TRL level explicitly.

Audited Balance Sheets and Profit & Loss Statements

Latest available CA-audited balance sheets and profit & loss statements for the entity, required for existing companies demonstrating financial credibility (conditional — for companies with more than one full financial year of operations).

Tip: Early-stage entities incorporated less than 12 months ago may substitute with management accounts or a CA-issued financial status certificate. Document the gap explicitly to prevent automatic screening rejection.

Income Tax Returns (ITRs)

Income Tax Returns for the last 2 financial years (or all filed returns if the entity is less than 2 years old), required alongside audited financials for existing companies (conditional — for entities with at least one filed ITR).

Tip: Ensure the ITR acknowledgement from the income tax portal is submitted; unacknowledged ITRs are not accepted. For entities that have not yet filed an ITR (first year of operations), submit a CA declaration of nil liability instead.

Patent / IP Records or Research Papers

Copies of registered patents, provisional patent filings, industrial design registrations, or relevant scientific/research papers authored by the applicant team related to the proposed technology (conditional — if IP has been filed or research published).

Tip: A provisional patent receipt is acceptable; full grant is not required at this stage. Research papers should be from peer-reviewed publications or defence-relevant conferences; preprints alone are not strongly weighted by the evaluation panel.

Self-Declaration or NOC (Individual Innovators / Academic Researchers)

Formal self-declaration or institutional No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the employing institution, required for applications submitted under the individual innovator or academic research facility category (conditional — only for non-corporate applicants).

Tip: Academic researchers must obtain a NOC from their institution's Head of Department or Director of Research; processing this NOC can take 1–2 weeks at universities. Individual innovators submitting without institutional affiliation must provide a standalone declaration on stamp paper.

How to apply for iDEX

Create a verified innovator account on the iDEX Registration Portal with entity details, email verification, and mobile OTP.Open portal

Log in to the iDEX Dashboard and complete your company, startup, or individual innovator profile including incorporation details and team credentials.Open portal

Navigate to Active Challenges and select the applicable track (Open Challenge, DISC, or ADITI) and the specific Defence Problem Statement (DPP) matching your technology.Open portal

Complete the itemised project budget breakdown, execution milestone chart, and upload all mandatory documents in PDF format through the iDEX portal.

Perform a final compliance check and submit — a unique proposal tracking reference code is generated on submission. Reference the guide video if needed.Open portal

Technical evaluation by iDEX's Expert Committee — shortlisted applicants may be called for a presentation or demo of their prototype or PoC to the panel.

Grant agreement signed upon selection; milestone-based funding disbursed in tranches tied to verified technical deliverables. ADITI grants up to ₹25 Cr; Open Challenge and DISC up to ₹1.5 Cr.

Frequently asked questions

Who is eligible for iDEX?

iDEX is available to Private Limited, LLP, One Person Company companies at the Idea Stage, Pre-Revenue, Early Stage (Revenue < ₹1Cr), Growth Stage (₹1Cr–₹25Cr) stage, across all Indian states (nationwide).

How much funding does iDEX provide?

iDEX provides up to ₹10.0Cr. Most applicants receive around ₹1.5Cr.

How long does iDEX approval take?

The typical processing time from submission to disbursement is 52–156 weeks.

Is iDEX currently accepting applications?

Yes, iDEX is currently active and accepting applications. Application window: Open Challenge: year-round, quarterly windows (active until 30 Jun 2026). DISC and ADITI: cohort-based, quarterly — DISC 14 and ADITI 4 closed May 2026; next cohorts expected Q3 2026..

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Information is based on publicly available scheme guidelines. Last verified 11 May 2026. Always verify with official sources before applying.