iDEX DISC and PRIME — ₹1.5 Crore Grants Against Armed-Forces Problem Statements, ₹10 Crore for Scale-up
Solve a stated military problem, get funded to build it
The Defence India Start-up Challenge is iDEX's core track. Each edition publishes problem statements sourced from the Services, the Coast Guard, the Defence Space Agency and DPSUs; startups, MSMEs and innovators propose solutions; winners receive SPARK grants of up to ₹1.5 crore, milestone-based, and are incubated with a Partner Incubator with access to the user Service for trials. At the National Defence Industries Conclave on 19 March 2026 the Ministry launched 107 challenges — 82 under DISC-14 and 25 under ADITI 4.0 — spanning robotics, AI, electronic warfare, advanced materials, autonomous systems and space.
iDEX PRIME is the scale-up layer. It funds projects that need more than the SPARK ceiling — typically DISC winners moving from prototype to a productionised system — with grants of up to ₹10 crore. PRIME challenges are published separately and re-opened from time to time.
DISC versus PRIME
| Item | DISC (SPARK) | iDEX PRIME |
|---|---|---|
| Grant | Up to ₹1.5 crore | Up to ₹10 crore |
| Stage | Prototype development against a problem statement | Prototype to production-ready system |
| Release | Milestone tranches after kick-off | Milestone tranches under a PRIME agreement |
| Who | Startups, MSMEs, individual innovators | Primarily DISC winners and startups with a proven prototype |
| Beyond the grant | Service trials, Partner Incubator support | Procurement pathway under iDEX and Make-II provisions |
DIO, the Services and the selection committee
DIO runs the challenge. Problem statements come from the Services; proposals are screened by Partner Incubators and technical experts, pitched to a jury with Service representatives, and approved by the High Powered Selection Committee. The user Service signs off on milestones during the project.
Who can compete
- •DPIIT-recognised startup, or an Indian company that is primarily an MSME, or an individual innovator (who must form an entity before the agreement)
- •Indian ownership and control per iDEX guidelines; foreign-controlled entities are excluded
- •Solution mapped to a published problem statement of the current edition
- •For PRIME: a demonstrated prototype, usually from a DISC project
What the iDEX portal asks for
- •Technical proposal on the iDEX template against the chosen problem statement: approach, TRL, work plan, milestones, deliverables
- •Budget with the applicant's matching contribution
- •Certificate of Incorporation, DPIIT recognition or Udyam certificate, shareholding pattern with beneficial ownership
- •Team CVs; prior defence, aerospace or deep-tech work
- •Test data, IP filings and existing prototypes
- •For PRIME: DISC completion report, trial results, production plan and costing
- •Declaration of other government funding for the same project
Questions founders ask about DISC and PRIME
Yes, with a separate proposal for each. Each is evaluated independently.
No. iDEX expects a matching contribution from the applicant, and the SPARK ceiling is ₹1.5 crore. Larger projects go to PRIME or ADITI.
The innovator retains IP under iDEX's framework, with the Ministry receiving usage rights as set out in the agreement. Read the agreement before signing.
DISC-14 launched on 19 March 2026 and its submission window has closed; the next edition follows the same annual pattern. PRIME challenges are re-opened periodically on the iDEX site.