Start-ups in camouflage: the convergence of MSMEs, innovation, and Indian defense needs

2025-05-21T19:17:16+02:00

The integration of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), particularly start-ups, into India's defense sector is emerging as a transformative force in modernizing the country's military capabilities. As India pivots towards self-reliance through initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat and the Defence Innovation Organisation (DIO), start-ups are becoming critical innovation drivers in defense manufacturing, supply chains, and technological advancement. This paper investigates the current and potential convergence of start-ups and MSMEs with Indian defense needs, analyzing policy frameworks, innovation hubs, funding ecosystems, and dual-use technologies. A mixed-methods approach comprising policy analysis, case studies (e.g., Tonbo Imaging, IdeaForge), and primary interviews with defense ecosystem stakeholders is employed. The findings suggest a positive correlation between MSME innovation intensity and their integration into strategic defense functions. However, structural bottlenecks such as procurement delays, intellectual property risks, and lack of sustained funding restrict their scaling. The study proposes a techno-policy roadmap to deepen civil-military-industrial integration through innovation clusters, regulatory sandboxing, and joint development programs. The outcomes offer a blueprint for leveraging entrepreneurial vigor to meet national security imperatives while fostering indigenous defense technology capabilities.

Advancing sustainable development goals in aerospace industry through Industry 5.0

2025-09-11T17:36:51+02:00

The aerospace manufacturing industry is facing increasing pressure to align with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, such as responsible production, climate action, and industry innovation. Industry 4.0 notwithstanding, most of these technologies are concerned with efficiency and automation while paying little heed to human-centric, sustainable goals that can be achieved in line with the SDGs. This would present a possibility to bridge this gap with Industry 5.0, which is on the way to collaborating with human-machine interaction and sustainability practices. This paper discusses the possibility of how this new paradigm, focused on collaborative work between advanced automation and human-centric, sustainable production, can help aerospace manufacturers achieve those key Sustainable Development Goals. Industry 5.0 will provide an opportunity for a symbiotic partnership between humans and machines with avenues that open opportunities to reduce environmental impacts, optimize the use of resources, and enhance innovation in aerospace manufacturing processes. The research illustrates the implementation strategy of Industry 5.0, smart factory, robotics, digital twin, and artificial intelligence towards the achievement of SDG 8, SDG 9, SDG 12, and SDG 13.

Defense and Security Studies

Start-ups in camouflage: the convergence of MSMEs, innovation, and Indian defense needs

Advancing sustainable development goals in aerospace industry through Industry 5.0