Jitendra Singh Showcases ₹1 Lakh Cr RDI Fund to Power India’s Innovation Era

Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored that India’s next phase of economic expansion will be powered by science, technology, and innovation-led growth.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, addressed industry leaders, innovators, investors, researchers, and start-ups during the first Outreach Programme of the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund at the Jio Convention Centre, Mumbai.

The event—part of a nationwide series—highlighted how the landmark fund announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 3 November 2025 will act as a transformational catalyst for private-sector-driven R&D, intellectual property creation, and commercialisation in sunrise technology sectors.

Organised by the RDI Fund under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), the programme marked a major milestone in India’s journey toward a globally competitive innovation ecosystem.

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Government Signals Strong Support for Private-Sector–Led R&D

Dr. Jitendra Singh underscored that India’s next phase of economic expansion will be powered by science, technology, and innovation-led growth. He urged private enterprises, investors, and start-ups to approach this decade with:

• Greater ambition

• Higher risk appetite

• Long-term commitment to research and innovation

He reiterated that the Union Cabinet’s approval on 1 July 2025 and the ₹20,000 crore budget allocation for FY 2025–26 demonstrate the Government’s resolve to build a robust, private-sector–driven R&D ecosystem.

The Minister illustrated how the RDI Fund promotes:

• Low-interest, long-duration loans for high-impact R&D

• Equity-based support for deep-tech ventures

• Fostered collaboration between industry and academia

• Commercialisation of breakthrough technologies

This mechanism, he said, fills the long-standing financing gaps in India’s innovation value chain—covering discovery, development, scaling, and deployment.

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India’s Strong Innovation Footprint: Rising in Global Rankings

Highlighting India’s rapid rise on global innovation indicators, Dr. Jitendra Singh noted:

• 3rd in scientific research output

• 6th in patent grants

• 39th in the Global Innovation Index

• Top 5 globally in 45 of 64 critical technologies, including AI, semiconductors, quantum tech, 5G/6G, biotechnology, clean energy, and space technology

He underlined that India has entered a new phase of scientific self-reliance, rooted in capacity building, frontier R&D, and technology excellence.

“Science is not merely the pursuit of knowledge; it is the engine of nation-building,” he declared.

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Empowering Deep-Tech Ventures: First Tranche Allocated to TDB and BIRAC

Dr. Singh announced that the first tranche of the RDI Fund is being released to:

• Technology Development Board (TDB)

• Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC)

These entities will act as second-level fund managers responsible for channeling capital to start-ups, MSMEs, and industry partners engaged in transformative R&D.

He invited additional public and private financial institutions to apply as accredited fund managers to expand the fund’s reach.

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India’s Start-Up Ecosystem: A Nationwide Innovation Movement

The Minister highlighted the unprecedented growth of India’s start-up landscape:

• Over 1.7 lakh start-ups

• Nearly 6,000 deep-tech ventures

• 60% located in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities

• Over 17 lakh jobs created

He said this reflects the democratization of innovation, driven by India’s aspirational youth and expanding digital and entrepreneurial opportunities.

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Synergy Between RDI Fund and ANRF Missions

Dr. Jitendra Singh explained how the RDI Fund complements the efforts of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), which has launched missions in:

• Electric Vehicles

• 2D Materials

• MedTech and precision healthcare

• AI for Science and Engineering

ANRF also supports:

• Frontier research programmes

• Early-career scientists

• State universities

• Indian-origin researchers abroad

He said ANRF has been modeled on global best practices—such as the NSF (US) and UKRI (UK)—but adapted to Indian conditions and enriched by India’s traditional knowledge systems.

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Opening New Frontiers: Ocean, Himalayan, Biotech and Space Reforms

Dr. Singh highlighted India’s bold policy reforms and mission-mode initiatives in areas such as:

• Deep Ocean Mission for seabed exploration

• Biotechnology Policy for bioeconomy expansion

• Aroma & Floriculture Missions for agricultural diversification

• Himalayan initiatives for climate and geophysical studies

• IN-SPACe reforms enabling private-sector participation in space

These initiatives, he said, reflect the Prime Minister’s vision to unlock India’s natural, scientific, and intellectual capital.

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“This Is the Time to Co-Create, Co-Invest, and Collaborate”

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Jitendra Singh urged all stakeholders to fully leverage the historic opportunity created by the RDI Fund:

“India is no longer the India of yesterday. Our aspiration is not just to participate in the technologies of the future, but to lead them,” he said.

He emphasized that collaborative innovation among industry, academia, start-ups, and government agencies will determine India’s success in becoming a global deep-tech leader.

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Stakeholder Participation and Key Insights

The outreach event featured remarks by:

• Dr. Jyoti Sharma, Head, RDI Cell, Department of Science & Technology

• Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science & Technology

• Shri Nishant Verma, Joint Secretary, ANRF

Fund managers, industry executives, start-up founders, venture capitalists, and researchers engaged in in-depth discussions on:

• Financing mechanisms for innovation

• Accelerating IP creation

• Bridging the lab-to-market gap

• Scaling deep-tech products

• Strengthening India’s global competitiveness

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A New Era for India’s Innovation Economy

With the roll-out of the ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund, India has entered a pivotal era where:

• Industry-led R&D is being systematically incentivised

• Deep-tech commercialisation is becoming a national priority

• Science and technology form the foundation of India’s economic ambitions

The Mumbai outreach marks only the beginning of a nationwide effort to unlock India’s innovation potential and empower the private sector to shape the technologies of the future.