How the India-Israel DRISHTI 2.0 Initiative is Redefining Defense Innovation.
Israel’s DRISHTI 2.0 Defence Cooperation Programme.
India-Israel DRISHTI 2.0 Programme: In an increasingly digitized and security-conscious world, the partnership between national defense and commercial technology has never been more critical. Taking this collaboration to the global stage, Israel and India have officially launched DRISHTI 2.0. This initiative marks a major milestone in bridging Israeli defense-tech innovation with India’s massive, rapidly growing market.
Co-run by the Israel Ministry of Defense (IMOD)—specifically through its Directorate of Defense Research & Development (DDR&D, also known as MAFAT)—and T-Hub, India’s premier innovation hub, DRISHTI 2.0 is designed to create highly practical pipelines for Israeli startups. By opening up the Indian market, the program helps Israeli deep-tech and dual-use startups scale their solutions while addressing India’s sovereignty and technological needs.
Decoding ‘Dual-Use’ and Why It Matters
To understand the significance of the DRISHTI program, one must first understand the concept of “dual-use” technology. Dual-use technologies are software, hardware, or systems designed for commercial utility that also have critical defense applications. Examples include advanced artificial intelligence, drone navigation systems, cybersecurity measures, and ruggedized robotics.
For Israel, fostering dual-use technology is a strategic priority. The Israeli Ministry of Defense views defense-tech exports not just as commercial wins, but as vital drivers for the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) own technological advancement. By expanding its global footprint into priority markets like India, Israel strengthens its strategic standing on the global stage while fueling domestic R&D.
For India, collaborating with Israel provides access to battle-tested, cutting-edge technology. Indian industries, public sector undertakings, and private corporations get a front-row seat to world-class innovation, allowing them to co-develop or adopt technologies that can secure critical infrastructure and modernize defense capabilities.
Enter DRISHTI 2.0 and the VIP Track
Building on the successes of its predecessor, DRISHTI 2.0 introduces a brand-new pathway called DRISHTI VIP. While the standard program helps early-to-mid-stage startups find their footing, the VIP track is custom-built for highly mature, growth-stage companies that already possess market-ready solutions.
The DRISHTI VIP track bypasses initial incubation phases to focus directly on commercial deployment. The highlight of this track is an exclusive, high-profile roadshow in India, where selected Israeli deep-tech companies present their ready-to-use platforms directly to Indian defense leaders, corporate buyers, and venture capitalists. This fast-tracks the traditional, often complicated sales cycles associated with international defense procurement.
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India-Israel DRISHTI Program. (File Photo).
The Backgrounder: How the DRISHTI Journey Began
The roots of DRISHTI 2.0 trace back to the launch of the original DRISHTI program (an acronym for Dual-use Robust India-Israel High-Tech Innovation). Unveiled as a groundbreaking bilateral initiative, the original program sought to harness Israel’s famous research and development capabilities and pair them with India’s unmatched scale-up potential.
At the heart of this initiative is T-Hub, based in Hyderabad, India. Known as one of the world’s largest innovation campuses, T-Hub has nurtured over 2,000 startups, holding strong expertise in deep tech, artificial intelligence, and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).
To give the bilateral alliance a physical home, the partners established a dedicated Center of Excellence (CoE) within the T-Hub campus. The CoE serves as a collaborative hub for knowledge sharing, joint research, and startup acceleration. Within this Center of Excellence, the India Market Access Program (IMAP) was born.
Through IMAP, Israeli deep-tech startups receive:
Market Navigation: Tailored mentorship to understand the complex regulatory, cultural, and corporate landscape of India.
Exclusive Access: Direct connections to Indian public sector undertakings (PSUs), private enterprises, and institutional investors.
Strategic Guidance: Hand-holding through the process of setting up local operations, securing intellectual property, and establishing joint ventures.
The vision of the program is best captured by its leaders. Golan Malka, Head of the Dual-Use Unit at the IMOD’s DDR&D, has noted that the program is a testament to the deep bond between the two countries, leveraging Israel’s innovation alongside India’s scale to create dual-use solutions that benefit both societies. Sujit Jagirdar, CEO of T-Hub, similarly emphasized that DRISHTI represents a historic collaborative chapter, unlocking massive, unprecedented opportunities for critical tech sectors in India.
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A Win-Win for Global Innovation
The expansion of the DRISHTI program into its second phase highlights a deep, mutual trust. For Israeli startups, India is no longer just a potential market—it is a vital strategic partner. For Indian innovators, working alongside Israeli tech pioneers offers valuable lessons in agility, rapid prototyping, and world-class defense engineering.
As DRISHTI 2.0 gets underway, the bridge between Tel Aviv and Hyderabad is poised to become one of the most active corridors for deep-tech and defense innovation in the world, proving that when unique technological vision meets immense market scale, the possibilities are virtually limitless.
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