In news– The Prime Minister of India has unveiled ‘SPRINT Challenges’ during Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) seminar ‘Swavlamban’ in New Delhi recently.
What are SPRINT challenges?
- SPRINT challenges aimed at giving a boost to the usage of indigenous technology in Indian Navy.
- In a bid to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence and as part of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, NIIO, in conjunction with the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), aims to induct at least 75 new indigenous technologies/products into the Indian Navy.
- This collaborative project is named SPRINT {Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX), NIIO and Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC)}.
NIIO’s seminar ‘Swavlamban’-
- It was the first ‘Swavlamban’ (self-reliance) seminar for a self-reliant Navy.
- It aimed to engage Indian industry and academia towards achieving self-reliance in the Defence sector.
- It was organised by the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) and the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).
- It provided a platform for leaders from Industry, Academia, Services and Government to come together on a common platform to ideate and come up with recommendations for the Defence Sector.
Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation(NIIO)-
- It was launched by the Defence Minister in 2020.
- The NIIO puts in place dedicated structures for the end users to interact with academia and industry towards fostering innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence in keeping with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
- The NIIO is a three-tiered organisation.
- Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC) that brings together the twin aspects of innovation and indigenisation and provide apex level directives.
- A Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) was created for induction of emerging disruptive technology in an accelerated time frame.
- The Draft Defence Acquisition Policy 2020 (DAP 20) envisages service headquarters establishing an Innovation & Indigenisation Organisation within existing resources.
- Indian Navy already has a functional Directorate of Indigenisation (DoI) and the new structures created will build upon the ongoing indigenisation initiatives, as well as focus on innovation.
The Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM)-
- SIDM is a not-for-profit association formed to be the apex body of the Indian defence industry.
- Itl plays a proactive role as an advocate, catalyst, and facilitator for the growth and capability building of the defence industry in India.
Source: PIB
