DRDO Dare to Dream 2.0                                                                                                                 

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Context: Raksha Mantri gives away DRDO Dare to Dream 2.0 & Young Scientists awards

Key Highlights:

• Three indigenously-developed technologies handed over to the Armed Forces
• DRDO Directed Research Policy & Records Management Policy launched
• Greater linkages between DRDO and academia emphasized
• ‘Dare to Dream 3.0’ launched to promote innovators & startups and provide a platform for the young ignited minds in the country.

Dare to Dream

• It is DRDO's pan-India contest to promote Indian academicians, individuals and startups to develop emerging defence and aerospace technologies/systems.
• DRDO provides technical and financial support to the winners for realization of their ideas under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme.
• The 'Dare to Dream' challenge, represents the vision and mission of the Government as also the mandate of DRDO.

Reform steps to increase the participation of private industry in the defence sector are:

• Bringing new categories of acquisition in Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020;
• provision of a specific budget for defence modernization;
• notifying two Positive Indigenization lists;
• increasing FDI in defence;
• according top priority to capital procurement and Buy {Indian - Indigenously Designed Developed and Manufactured (IDDM)} to promote indigenous design & development of defence equipment;
• creating opportunities to build a Mega Defence Programme including fighter aircraft, helicopters, tanks and submarines through Strategic Partnership Model;
• Opening avenues for free Transfer of Technology (ToT) through DRDO and initiatives like Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) and Technology Development Fund.

Products/systems indigenously developed by DRDO handed over to the Armed Forces are:

• ARINC818 Video Processing and Switching Module: It is a state-of-the-art module with high bandwidth, low latency, channel bonding, easy networking and will cater to 5th generation aircraft development programmes.
• Sonar Performance Modelling System: It is useful for Indian Naval ships, submarines and under water surveillance stations etc.
• Bund Blasting Device Mk-II: It is used to reduce the height of Ditch-cum-Bund obstacles to enhance the mobility of mechanized infantry during wartime.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1760781