Prime Minister Narendra Modi has officially launched a landmark ₹1 lakh crore (₹1 trillion) Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Fund aimed at accelerating private sector-led research and cutting-edge technology development across India. The announcement was made during the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 held in New Delhi from November 3 to 5, 2025.
This bold initiative marks a paradigm shift in India’s innovation ecosystem, focusing on fostering “high-risk, high-impact” projects across priority sectors such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, biotechnology, space technology, and clean energy transition. Unlike conventional grant-based systems, this fund will provide long-term, low-interest or interest-free loans, equity infusions for startups, and capital allocations to deep-tech ventures.
The fund follows a two-tiered structure managed by the Department of Science and Technology (DST). At the first level, a Special Purpose Fund (SPF) under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation oversees the principal corpus. The capital will then be deployed by professional fund managers including Alternate Investment Funds, Development Finance Institutions, and focused research organizations like the Technology Development Board and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council.
