By Col Vivek Nautiyal (Retd)
New Delhi. 06 June 2026. In an era where national security is increasingly intertwined with technological self-reliance, India’s defence procurement ecosystem is undergoing a transformative shift. Driven by the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the country is moving beyond being one of the world’s largest defence importers towards becoming a hub of indigenous innovation, manufacturing and strategic capability. Yet, the complexities of defence acquisition—from procurement procedures and policy reforms to industry participation and technology development—often remain poorly understood outside specialised circles. Demystifying defence procurement is therefore essential to understanding how Bharat is strengthening its military preparedness, fostering a vibrant defence industrial base, and translating its indigenisation ambitions into operational reality. As the government, armed forces, academia and industry collaborate to build a self-sustaining defence ecosystem, procurement has emerged not merely as a purchasing function but as a powerful instrument of national transformation.
To bridge this gap the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), in collaboration with the Indigenisation Directorate of Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) and key stakeholders from the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces, DRDO, testing agencies, the defence industry, MSMEs, start-ups, and academia, is organising a landmark two-day workshop on 11 and 12 Jun 2026. Titled “Demystifying Defence Procurement, iDEX, TPCR and Testing Procedures for MSMEs and Start-ups”, the event will be held at the Ashoka Hall, Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.
Background and Purpose
The workshop is being conceptualised at a moment of considerable strategic importance for India’s defence sector. The Government of India has set an ambitious target of achieving ₹3 lakh crore in defence production and ₹50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029. To support these goals, a sweeping set of policy reforms has been introduced over the past decade. From successive iterations of the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) to Positive Indigenisation Lists, the reforms have progressively restricted imports across hundreds of defence items, compelling the armed forces to source domestically.
Yet ambition and execution do not always align. While these policy initiatives have opened significant opportunities for domestic industry, many innovators and manufacturers, particularly MSMEs and start-ups, continue to grapple with the complexities of procurement procedures, certification requirements, testing protocols, and acquisition pathways. The challenge is not merely technical, it is often informational. Promising products stall not because they lack merit, but because their developers lack familiarity with the system. This workshop seeks to bridge that gap by offering practical insights and direct engagement with subject matter experts across government, the armed forces, research institutions, and industry.
A Comprehensive Programme
The workshop has been structured around five focused sessions spanning the two days.
Day 1, Understanding the Defence Procurement Ecosystem, opens with the inaugural session featuring an address by Major General (Dr.) Ashok Kumar, VSM (Retd.), Director General, CENJOWS, a keynote by Air Marshal Praveen Keshav Vohra, UYSM, AVSM, VM, Deputy Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Policy, Planning and Force Development) (DCIDS (PP&FD)), and an overarching presentation on building indigenous defence capabilities. Session 1 provides an in-depth overview of the draft Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2026. The 2026 draft is a significant revision of DAP that is expected to further streamline procurement categories, strengthen Make in India provisions, and introduce greater flexibility for emerging technology acquisition. Alongside DAP 2026, the session will cover salient aspects of the Request for Proposal (RFP) and include a dedicated industry query resolution forum, providing the participants with an opportunity to raise specific challenges directly with senior acquisition officials. Session 2 turns the spotlight on indigenisation and reforms, covering Atmanirbharta schemes, Positive Indigenisation Lists, the SRIJAN portal for import substitution mapping, the Competency Mapping Portal, and Intellectual Property Rights protection through the Raksha Gyan Samiti. This suite of instruments together define the opportunity landscape for Indian industry.
Day 2, iDEX, Testing, Certification and Quality Assurance, opens with Session 3, a deep dive into the Innovations for Defence Excellence (iDEX) programme that has emerged as one of the most dynamic entry points for start-ups into the defence ecosystem. The session examines the Defence Innovation Organisation’s (DIO) role as a catalyst, including ‘Defence India Startup Challenge’ (DISC) challenges, ‘Supporting Pole-Vaulting in R&D through iDEX, NIIO and TDAC’ (SPRINT), grant structures, milestone-based funding, and the critical but often misunderstood prototype-to-procurement transition cycle. For many start-ups, securing an iDEX grant is only the first step; converting a funded prototype into an inducted product requires navigating a separate and demanding set of evaluation and acquisition processes. This session addresses precisely that challenge.
Session 4 addresses the testing and certification system comprehensively. This is an area that has historically been a significant bottleneck for indigenous products. Presentations will cover military product evaluation by DGQA, the distinction between technical and user trials, NCNC demonstrations, MET trials, airworthiness certification, environmental and EMI/EMC testing, compliance gap analysis, and DRDO’s role in R&D collaboration and Technology Development Fund (TDF) provisions. For an industry participant attempting to navigate this landscape independently, the complexity can be overwhelming. Having access to the officials who design and implement these processes, in a single forum, represents considerable value.
The workshop concludes with Session 5 on ‘Technology Perspective and Capability Roadmaps’ (TPCRs). These are the documents that articulate the future technology requirements of the Indian Armed Forces across a 15-year horizon. The session will cover the TPCR structure and purpose, followed by service-specific presentations from the Army, Navy and Air Force, each outlining their technology priorities. This will be complemented by a discussion on ‘Technology Readiness Levels’ (TRL 1 – 9) and their role as gating criteria in the development and acquisition process. A panel discussion with venture capitalists will offer industry participants a perspective on investment dynamics in the defence innovation space. A closing address will be delivered by RAdm Puruvir Das, NM, Assistant Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (Technology & Innovation) (ACIDS (T&I)).
A notable feature of the workshop design is its practitioner orientation. The speakers have been specifically requested to frame their presentations towards supporting industry, rather than providing theoretical exposition. All sessions will include opportunities for questions and direct interaction.
Why This Workshop Matters
India’s defence indigenisation journey is at an inflection point. The policy architecture is largely in place. What is now required is effective implementation, and that demands a well-informed, capable and confident domestic industry. MSMEs and start-ups are increasingly contributing innovative solutions across artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, robotics, advanced materials, quantum technologies, and space applications. Their continued participation is essential if India is to reduce its import dependence and build a genuinely self-reliant defence industrial base.
Yet navigating this ecosystem, from initial concept to final induction, remains daunting for many. Understanding procurement categories, meeting testing and certification standards, interpreting TPCRs, and securing funding through iDEX or TDF, all require a level of domain familiarity that few smaller enterprises possess. This workshop directly addresses that challenge.
By bringing together policymakers, military users, acquisition experts, testing agencies, venture capitalists and industry leaders under one roof, CENJOWS aims to demystify the pathways, reduce friction for innovators, and accelerate the translation of indigenous technology into operational capability, in direct support of the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision. It is, in essence, an investment in the human resource that supports India’s defence manufacturing ambitions.
[Author is a Senior Fellow at Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS)]
