The second India-U.S. Defense Acceleration Ecosystem (INDUS-X) Summit today announced the winners of the first set of INDUS-X joint challenges, launched new challenges, and discussed bolstering defense supply chain initiatives through new consortiums and co-producing military capabilities.
“Speakers at the INDUS-X Summit explored opportunities to co-produce advanced military capabilities, create resilient defense supply chains, and enhance U.S.-India military interoperability in support of both countries' shared vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific,” a Defense Department release stated.
The summit, run by DOD and the Indian Ministry of Defense, marks the second INDUS-X meeting since the initiative was launched in June 2023 “to spur defense innovation in critical technologies by facilitating partnerships among U.S. and Indian companies, investors and universities,” the release said.
DIU and iDEX announced the first two INDUS-X challenges in early September which focused on leveraging commercial technology for military use. Specifically, the efforts looked at solving underwater communication challenges through new hardware and software technologies, and addressing maritime intelligence, surveillance and recognizance challenges by identifying technology that can track and detect oil spills.
The Defense Innovation Unit and Innovations for Defense Excellence announced the winners of the first two INDUS-X joint challenges at the summit in New Delhi, India, according to the release.
“Following a competitive process supported by military service partners and both governments, ten U.S. and Indian companies won over $1 million to develop technologies related to undersea communications and maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR),” the DOD release said.
HydroNet, OceanComm, PierSight, Pixxel, and Sea-Gal Technologies received awards that together totaled $300,000 to develop ISR technologies and undersea communications, a DOD INDUS-X fact sheet said.
Whereas “AlKairos, Airbotix Technology, Prof. D. Saha and Prof. S. Ganguly, SAR Space and Zeus Numerix will collectively receive $900,000 for the same challenge topic.”
DIU and iDEX also announced that in the coming months they will be open to applications for two other joint challenges that center on solving space-based ISR problems.
A new consortium with the goal of expanding testing facility access was also announced at the summit in collaboration between U.S. and Indian companies, nonprofit organizations and universities.
“The consortium will explore pathways for defense and dual-use companies in the INDUS-X network to test, refine, and integrate their technologies at premier testing ranges across the U.S. and India,” the press release said.
The INDUSWERX consortium will expand testing facility access for defense and dual-use companies, with a fact sheet listing these organizations as announcing the expansion: “FATHOMWERX, Penn State University, North Carolina State University, The Texas A&M University System (TAMUS), University of Texas at Austin, University of Maryland, Skydio, Liquid Robotics (a Boeing Company), Albers Aerospace, the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) led by Roorkee, IISc Bengaluru, Astrome Technologies, Space Pixxel and Thermaissance.”
The Senior Advisory Group, a bilateral group of U.S. and Indian officials, also had their second meeting at the summit, which focused on carving a pathway for future cooperation.