NEW DELHI: Indian startup T-Hub has partnered with Indian Army’s Central Command to create a direct pathway for defence startups to develop and validate technologies for military deployment.“We are partnering with Headquarters Central Command to connect startups directly with the Indian Army’s operational needs,” the company said in a statement recently.Hyderabad-based T-Hub is considered to be the world’s largest startup hub, supporting founders from ideation to scale through programmes, partnerships and global access, and anchoring some of the world’s most significant incubation and innovation initiatives.Under the partnership, T-Hub will receive problem statements from Central Command and identify and select relevant defence startups for working on the challenges. A joint oversight committee will supervise the execution of the programme and engagements between startups and Army stakeholders.“The strategic partnership will connect the defence forces with India’s vibrant startup ecosystem, accelerating indigenous solutions and technology-driven capability development. The collaboration reflects the commitment towards fostering innovation, promoting cutting-edge R&D and building a self-reliant defence ecosystem aligned with future operational requirements,” the Army posted on X recently.T-Hub said the initiative will allow founders to develop and validate technologies against practical military challenges, while incorporating operational feedback from Army personnel.“What founders need is direct engagement with end users to ensure their technologies meet real deployment conditions. This collaboration creates that pathway,” said Kavikrut, CEO, T-Hub. “This partnership reflects strong confidence in the calibre of Indian defence startups and in Hyderabad’s ability to build technologies that can address critical requirements,” he said.