The third edition of the India-U.S. Defence Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit, held in California from September 9 to 10, 2024, has culminated in a significant step towards strengthening defence innovation collaboration between India and the United States.
The summit, jointly organised by the U.S.-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) and Stanford University, saw the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India's Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and the U.S. Defence Innovation Unit (DIU).
This MoU is expected to enhance cooperation in defence innovation and foster deeper industry, research, and investment partnerships between the two nations.
It signals a commitment to jointly showcase next-generation technologies developed by startups and MSMEs, and to facilitate critical dialogues on future technology trends, capacity building, funding opportunities, and supply chain strengthening.
The INDUS-X summit also witnessed the announcement of a new challenge under the initiative, the release of the INDUS-X Impact Report, and the launch of the official INDUS-X webpage.
Launched in June 2023 during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the U.S., INDUS-X aims to expand the strategic technology partnership and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries.
Joint Secretary (Defence Industries Promotion) Amit Satija, who led the Indian delegation, emphasized that the third edition of the INDUS-X Summit reaffirms the commitment of both countries to advancing defence technology through innovation and strategic collaboration.
This collaboration is expected to pave the way for a more robust and integrated defence ecosystem, benefiting both nations in the long run.
