NEW DELHI: In a first, the Army on Tuesday initiated the order to procure technology developed under the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) project. The Army in a statement said, “The contract for procurement of an indigenously developed ‘Integrated Mobile Camouflage System (IMCS)’ for mechanised forces was signed with Indian Startup Hyper Stealth Technologies on Tuesday, in presence of the Lieutenant General JB Chaudhari, Deputy Chief of the Army Staff, and Anurag Bajpai, Joint Secretary, Department of Defence Production.”
The Integrated Mobile Camouflage System provides the ability for the Armoured Fighting Vehicle (AFV) to merge with a terrain background. “IMCS will achieve a reduction in the detection range of AFV when viewed through Hand Held Thermal Imager/Battle Field Surveillance Radar tank-based thermal camera under given environmental and weather conditions and signature management by controlling the visual, thermal, infra-red & radar signatures of the object.
“The technology comprises low emissivity coatings and mobile camouflage system material and will provide significant capability enhancement in stealth for AFVs.” The niche technology will be a great
leap in indigenous stealth technology and provide a boost to self-reliance.
iDEX was launched by the Prime Minister in 2018 with an aim to create an ecosystem to foster innovation and encourage technological development in defence and aerospace by engaging R&D institutes, academia and industries, including MSMEs, start-ups, individual innovators and providing them grants/ funding and other support to carry out R&D which has good potential for future adoption by Indian Defence and Aerospace Organisation. iDEX is funded and managed by the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO) under MoD (DDP).
Currently, there are a total of 48 projects of the Indian Army as part of the Defence India Startup Challenge (DISC), Open Challenges, iDEX4 Fauji & iDEX PRIME scheme which involves handholding of 41 Startups for the development of the latest state of art solutions for the challenges posed by the Indian Army.
For each challenge, a dedicated Nodal Officer & Establishment as Centre of Excellence from the Indian Army is nominated for handholding and providing continuous support in progressing their respective projects.
iDEX was launched by PM Modi in 2018
This will be a great leap in indigenous stealth technology. iDEX was launched by the PM in 2018 to create an ecosystem to foster innovation and encourage technological development in defence and aerospace.