Research needs more funds, less red tape
The need for a new Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme was felt because of the poor share of the private sector and low investment in R&D .
Updated At : 07:21 AM Jul 10, 2025 IST
Grim picture: India lags far behind the US and China in R&D expenditure. iStock
LAST week, the government approved a new Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme with a corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore to boost private sector investment in innovation and commercial R&D in deep tech areas like artificial intelligence (AI). The fund will be meant for long-term financing or refinancing at low interest rates. The finance will be in the form of growth and risk capital for private companies willing to scale up R&D and technology development in strategic areas to serve the national objective of self-reliance. Projects that show a high ‘Technology Readiness Level’ will be funded, besides those involving the acquisition of technologies of critical or strategic importance.
