₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Emerging Science & Technology Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, launching the historic ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund (Research, Development and Innovation Fund) to boost private sector R&D and strengthen India’s science and technology ecosystem.

Along with this, he also announced the establishment of the Anusandhan Research Foundation to promote academia-industry collaboration and support cutting-edge innovation.

A Landmark Initiative in Science and Technology

The ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund is a flagship initiative under the Modi government’s R&D scheme, designed to support high-risk, high-impact research projects that often struggle for capital. This RDI scheme for the private sector aims to de-risk early-stage innovation, attract private investment, and accelerate commercialisation of new technologies.

By bridging the gap between laboratory research and market deployment, the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund will serve as a crucial government innovation fund for deep-tech India, frontier science, and hardware-based startups.

It reflects the government’s strategic shift toward research-intensive, innovation-driven growth, aligning with the vision of a self-reliant, technologically advanced India.

Anusandhan Research Foundation: Academia-Industry Linkage

Alongside the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund, the government launched the Anusandhan Research Foundation—a dedicated body to coordinate competitive research grants, fellowships, and centres of excellence. Its primary goal is to create academic-industry innovation grants and ensure translational research is effectively converted into domestic manufacturing and scalable solutions.

This move will tighten the collaboration between universities, startups, and industries, leading to better IP generation, patent filings, and commercialisation of indigenous technologies.

The academia-industry collaboration under the Anusandhan Research Foundation is a crucial complement to the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund, ensuring that research outcomes directly contribute to India’s industrial and economic development.

Themes and Highlights of ESTIC 2025

The Emerging Science & Technology Innovation Conclave (ESTIC 2025) brought together over 3,000 delegates, including Nobel laureates, scientists, and industry leaders. The sessions covered 11 major themes, such as:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Quantum Science and Technology

• Electronics and Semiconductors

• Advanced Materials and Manufacturing

• Space Technologies

• Bio-Manufacturing

• Energy and Environment

• Health and Medical Technologies

• Digital Communications

• Blue Economy

• Emerging Agricultural Technologies

During the event, a vision document and a coffee table book on India’s scientific achievements were released, showcasing the nation’s progress in science and technology.

Why the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund Matters

The ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund for startups and industries is expected to transform India’s innovation ecosystem by providing capital for research funding in India. It will support deep-tech research funding in India and encourage technology development fund initiatives focused on sectors such as semiconductors, quantum computing, clean energy, and medical technology.

Experts believe the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund will have a direct impact on the Make in India initiative, enabling Indian startups to commercialise innovation locally while competing globally. It is also viewed as a part of the India innovation funding scheme that promotes high-impact R&D and private sector innovation.

This Modi government R&D initiative strengthens India’s knowledge economy, encouraging research collaborations under the Research and Innovation Fund 2025. The ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund will serve as a bridge connecting academia, startups, and industry, driving innovation through government-supported funding mechanisms.

Strategic Significance and Future Outlook

• In his address, the Prime Minister recalled India’s pandemic-era innovation, such as digital public infrastructure for vaccine delivery, which demonstrated India’s ability to innovate at scale.

• He also cited the successful GSAT-7R satellite launch, a symbol of India’s momentum in space communication technology.

• The ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund and the Government R&D Fund to promote private sector innovation will now move into an execution phase.

• Focus areas include deep-tech, semiconductor manufacturing, energy transition, and frontier sciences, ensuring that India emerges as a global innovation hub.

By creating a technology development fund structure in India, the government aims to foster deal flows, partnerships, and time-bound implementation to utilise the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund effectively across sectors.

Final Thoughts

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Emerging Science & Technology Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, launching the landmark ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund to accelerate research, development, and innovation in India.

The fund aims to boost private sector R&D, support high-risk, high-impact projects, and strengthen deep-tech and frontier science. Alongside this, the Anusandhan Research Foundation was announced to enhance academia-industry collaboration through grants, fellowships, and centres of excellence.

With focus areas spanning AI, semiconductors, quantum technology, and clean energy, the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Fund marks a major step toward making India a global innovation hub.