Agencies New Delhi, March 4 Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh launched Acing Development of Innovative Technologies with iDEX ADITI scheme to promote innovations in critical and strategic defence technologies, during DefConnect 2024 in New Delhi on March 04, 2024. Under the scheme, start ups are eligible to receive grant in aid of up to Rs 25 crore for their research, development, and innovation endeavours in defence technology. The scheme will nurture the innovation of youth, and help the country leap forward in the field of technology, the Raksha Mantri said as he addressed a gathering of industry leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and policymakers. The ADITI scheme worth Rs 750 crore for the period 2023 24 to 2025 26 falls under the iDEX Innovations for Defence Excellence framework of Department of Defence Production DDP , Ministry of Defence. It aims to develop about 30 deep tech critical and strategic technologies in the proposed timeframe. It also envisages to create a Technology Watch Tool to bridge the gap between the expectations and requirements of the modern Armed Forces and the capabilities of the defence innovation ecosystem. In the first edition of ADITI, 17 challenges Indian Army 3 , Indian Navy 5 , Indian Air Force 5 and Defence Space Agency 4 have been launched.