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The Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme is playing a crucial role in promoting ‘Atmanirbharta’ in defence.

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• The Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme is encouraging the participation of public/private industries, especially start-ups and MSMEs, to create an ecosystem aimed at enhancing the capabilities in cutting-edge technology and promoting ‘Atmanirbharta’ in defence.
• The TDF scheme is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Defence executed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the 'Make in India’ initiative. 
• Till date, a total of 77 projects, with a commitment of over Rs 300 crore, have been sanctioned to various industries, and 27 defence technologies have been successfully realised under the scheme.

Objectives of the TDF scheme

• To provide Grant-in-Aid to Indian industries, including MSMEs and startups, as well as academic and scientific institutions for the development of Defence and dual-use technologies. 
• To engage with the private industries, especially MSMEs and start-ups, to bring in the culture of Design & Development of Military Technology and support them with grants.
• To focus on Research, Design & Development of Niche technologies which are being developed for the first time in the country.
• To support futuristic technologies by having a Proof of Concept and converting them into prototypes.

Success stories of some start-ups under the TDF scheme

Combat Robotics, a Pune-based start-up, has successfully developed an Innovative Simulator for Unmanned Vehicles.

• It is a multi-domain simulator that supports Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs), Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs), Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs), and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), serving as an excellent development tool for agencies working on developing autonomous systems. 

ChiStats Labs Private Limited, Pune

• Virtual Sensors for Aero Gas Turbine Engine Health Monitoring
• Tools for Data Assessment, Active Learning & Believability for Visual Data

NewSpace Research and Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Bengaluru 

• o ‘Autonomous Drone as First Responder for Search and Report Operations in Enclosed/Indoor Environments’ – is a cutting-edge UAV capable of exploring indoor environments under various conditions, including in zero light.