Huddle Global 2024 Yields MoUs to Launch Defence Innovation Zone

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Two key MoUs were exchanged at the ongoing Huddle Global 2024 for the launch of Kerala Defence Innovation Zone (K-DIZ) as a collaborative initiative of Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) to drive innovation and collaboration in the defence sector.

KSUM CEO Anoop Ambika exchanged MoUs with Ram Prakash, Additional Director (TDF, DRDO) and Technopark CEO Col Sanjeev Nair (Retd), in the presence of Dr Rathan U Kelkar, Secretary, Electronics & Information Technology, Govt. of Kerala and ISRO Chairman Dr S Somanath.

Cmdr Mathew John of Southern Air command, Brigadier Salil MP, Station Commander Pangode Military Station, Group Captain Rohit Kaura, Program Director DIO-iDEX, (Retd), Vice Admiral (Rtd) Sreekumar Nair, MD Keltron, G Levin, CEO Kerala Space Park attended the ceremony.

“K-DIZ will enable connecting various stakeholders and serve as an eco-system provider, where startups & innovators (potential defence & aerospace entrepreneurs) from Kerala can get information, develop connections, explore market opportunities and collaborate with Armed Forces,” said Anoop Ambika.

“K-DIZ will be integral to the Centre of Excellence (CoE) focusing on Defence & Aerospace being planned under the Emerging Technology Hub of KSUM at Technopark Phase IV (Technocity), Thiruvananthapuram,” said Col (Retd) Sanjeev Nair.

“Armed forces are moving towards integration and modernisation to become a future ready force with capabilities that match with India’s stature in global standings. Armed forces offer vast opportunities to collaborate with us. The MoUs signed today paves an ideal platform to move forward in this direction,” noted Mathew John, Southern Air Command.

“Armed forces are incubators of technology. We use technology for surveillance, navigation, operations training, and operational logistics. K-DIZ will be a platform to leverage the interface between armed forces, industries and academia,” said Brigadier Salil MP.