New Delhi: The Centre’s ambitious Rs 1 trillion Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund has moved into its implementation phase, with the government firming up timelines and extending application deadlines following strong stakeholder interest.
Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Prof. Abhay Karandikar, said the government received an overwhelming response after releasing the Implementation Guidelines (IG) and Notice Inviting Applications (NIA) for Second Level Fund Managers (SLFMs).
More than 1,000 emails seeking clarifications were received, along with several queries raised during outreach programmes conducted across multiple cities and forums.
Based on stakeholder feedback, the DST has made minor revisions to the IG and NIA, with necessary approvals already completed. The revised documents, along with detailed FAQs addressing stakeholder queries, are scheduled to be uploaded on the official website by 7 January.
In view of the revised timelines, the last date for submission of applications by SLFMs has been extended to 31 January. The online portal for SLFM applications will go live on 12 January and remain open until the end of the month.
Prof. Karandikar said approvals are currently underway for the Technology Development Board (TDB) and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) to function as SLFMs.
These approvals are expected to be completed by January-end, with both agencies likely to start processing applications from industries and startups in the first week of February this year.
Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2025, the RDI Fund aims to catalyse private sector investment in high-impact research and deep-tech innovation, supporting India’s push to emerge as a global science and technology leader.
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