RDI Fund Open Call by Ministry of Science and Technology

Launch of the First Open Call

RDI Fund Open Call by Ministry of Science and Technology: The Ministry of Science and Technology launched the first Open Call under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund in February 2026. This marks the initial operational step of a large-scale public financing mechanism aimed at strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem.

The Open Call has been issued through the Technology Development Board (TDB). It focuses on supporting technologies that have crossed early ideation and entered advanced development stages.

Role of the Technology Development Board

The Technology Development Board functions under the Department of Science and Technology (DST). Its mandate is to facilitate the commercialization of indigenous technologies developed by Indian enterprises.

Under the RDI Fund, TDB acts as the primary implementing agency for the Open Call. It evaluates proposals, extends financial support, and monitors project outcomes.

Static GK fact: The Technology Development Board was established under the Technology Development Board Act, 1995.

Focus on Technology Readiness Level

The Open Call prioritizes projects at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and above. TRL is a globally accepted framework to assess the maturity of a technology.

The TRL scale ranges from TRL-1, which represents basic principles observed, to TRL-9, which indicates full commercial deployment. This ensures public funds are directed towards technologies with realistic market potential.

Static GK Tip: The TRL framework was originally developed by NASA to assess space technologies.

About the Research Development and Innovation Fund

The RDI Fund is a Special Purpose Fund created under the RDI Scheme of the DST. It is designed as a flagship intervention to boost investment in research-driven enterprises.

The fund aims to bridge the gap between laboratory research and market-ready products. It specifically targets startups, private enterprises, and industry-led innovation projects.

Funding Structure and Corpus

The RDI Fund has a massive corpus of ₹1 lakh crore, to be deployed over six years. This reflects the government’s long-term commitment to technology-led growth.

Funding support is flexible and includes multiple instruments. These are tailored to reduce financial risk for innovators while ensuring accountability.

Modes of Financial Assistance

The fund provides long-tenure, collateral-free loans covering up to 50% of project cost. This lowers entry barriers for startups and technology-intensive firms.

It also allows equity participation up to 25% of the assistance sought. Additionally, there is a provision for debt-to-equity conversion at a later stage.

Static GK fact: India follows a mixed financing model in innovation policy, combining grants, equity, and debt instruments.

Priority Sectors Under the Open Call

The Open Call focuses on sunrise and strategic sectors critical to national development. These sectors align with India’s long-term economic and security priorities.

Key areas include Energy Security and Climate Transition, Deep Technologies such as quantum and space systems, and Artificial Intelligence for Indian applications. Biotechnology, medical technologies, digital economy, and digital agriculture are also covered.

Significance for India’s Innovation Ecosystem

The RDI Fund shifts India’s innovation policy from grant-dependence to investment-led support. It encourages private sector participation while sharing technological risk.

By supporting higher TRL projects, the fund accelerates the journey from idea to market. This strengthens India’s position in global technology value chains.

Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table

RDI Fund Open Call by Ministry of Science and Technology: