The U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad and the Nexus Startup Hub hosted a Defense Startups Workshop from December 16-17 at the T-Hub, Hyderabad. The workshop focused on defense startups, in tandem with the larger U.S.-India Defense Ties Conference hosted in Hyderabad from December 18-19. The workshop brought together entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and government officials to demonstrate how start-ups and their technologies can build on both countries’ achievements in defense innovation and further strengthen U.S.-India collaboration in defense manufacturing.

The bilateral defense relationship between the United States and India is strong and continues to grow. The partnership has evolved into a strategic relationship involving joint research, co-development, and production of high-end defense equipment and expanded cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region. U.S. and Indian companies are already collaborating in the co-production of C-130 transport aircraft, F-16 fighter planes, and Apache helicopters at joint facilities in Hyderabad. Through strong U.S.-India private sector collaboration, Hyderabad and other innovation centers in India continue to evolve as important aerospace and defense manufacturing hubs.

In addition to the first ever tri-service military exercise between India and the United States, Tiger Triumph, on the Andhra Pradesh coast in November 2019, the Port of Visakhapatnam has welcomed three U.S Navy ship visits in the year 2019. The American and Indian militaries work together to increase interoperability, build partner capacity, prevent conflict, and promote regional strength and peace throughout the Indo-Pacific region. At the same time, the U.S.- India defense relationship, and resulting cooperation in industry and technology, is an innovation engine and job-creator for both Indians and Americans. This growth will only accelerate with the inclusion of start-ups in the process.

The Defense Startups Workshop 2019 selected innovative startups supporting U.S.-India Defense Cooperation. The selected startups were trained by innovation experts during the two-day workshop, aimed at helping them become more attractive to the defense industry, partners, and investors. Participating startups further got the chance to participate in part of the larger Defense Ties Conference. A selected few finalists joined an exclusive panel session and pitched their business concepts to U.S. and Indian defense companies and related institutions at the Conference. Workshop attendees gained a deeper understanding of the defense sector, technology commercialization, and U.S.-India defense partnership, while also networking with counterparts, decision-makers, and subject matter experts in the defense innovation space.