₹1 Lakh Cr RDI Scheme Approval

2. DR. AJAI CHOWDHRY Founder HCL , Chairman EPIC Foundation

 I warmly welcome the Union Cabinet’s approval of the Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme with a substantial outlay of ₹1 lakh crore, a milestone I’ve eagerly anticipated for the past 2-3 years. This landmark decision will profoundly impact India’s research and innovation landscape. Under the Honorable Prime Minister’s visionary leadership, the government has consistently demonstrated its commitment to progress in India’s R&D investment. The announcement of a ₹1 lakh crore R&D fund by the Government last year has now taken shape, marking a significant step forward for India’s scientific and technological advancement.

 India’s R&D investment has long been a concern, with the country allocating only about 0.64% of its GDP, significantly lower than 2-5% invested by nations like the US, Japan, and China. The private sector’s contribution has been particularly limited. This was recognized by some of us and the government and recognizing this gap, the government’s approval of the RDI scheme is a landmark decision, where the whole idea seems to be to encourage private sector to pick up strategic areas and sunrise sectors and create products for both India and the global market.

This fund will also enable translational research by private sector. Typically under ANRF, technical, education / research institutions will take upto TRL (technology Readiness Level 4). Private sector (both Corporate and Start-ups) can then take it for translational research to TRL-9 for India and the world. Covid-19 catapulted us to the top league of connected nations. We made the right choices and the world watched us do that. Recently , Operation Sindoor has taught us another valuable lesson: we need belief in our own capabilities, invest in secure and indigenous infrastructure, become a product nation, and lead with conviction, not dependency.

The newly approved R&D fund will play a pivotal role in realizing this vision, enabling India to develop cutting-edge products across various sectors and assert its position as a Product Nation in different areas. With the Honourable Prime Minister at the helm and an empowered group of secretaries led by the Cabinet Secretary, we can expect long-term benefits from this fund. Housing the RDI Scheme in the Department of Science and Technology (DST) is a fitting decision, given its focus on R&D. This initiative will be a crucial step towards achieving technology sovereignty and realizing the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047- something for us to look forward to.