Department of Science and Technology (DST) has announced the establishment of the ₹1 Lakh Crore Research Development and Innovation Fund aimed at catalysing the country’s deeptech ecosystem.

The initiative is designed to empower start-ups research institutions and technology ventures working at the intersection of artificial intelligence robotics advanced manufacturing quantum computing space technology and drones. The fund will provide long-term capital support de-risk early-stage innovation and enable India’s scientific community to translate research into scalable commercial outcomes.

Speaking at the launch senior DST officials highlighted that the RDI Fund would serve as a national innovation backbone bridging academia private industry and government missions. By connecting policy vision with financial strength the initiative seeks to position India as a global hub for next-generation technology development.

The fund will operate through a mix of grants equity investments and blended finance mechanisms ensuring both flexibility and sustainability. It will also prioritise technologies aligned with India’s national priorities such as digital transformation defence technology clean energy healthcare innovation and semiconductor self-reliance.

This milestone reflects India’s growing commitment to deeptech as the foundation for long-term competitiveness. Government funding and signal-setting play a pivotal role in building investor confidence and strengthening the innovation ecosystem. For service vendors enterprise buyers and technology partners this moment underscores the importance of aligning strategy accelerating R&D collaborations and driving tangible value creation in the era of policy-backed innovation.