RDI Fund Awareness Must Reach Genuine Innovators, Says Jitendra Singh at TDB Foundation Day

New Delhi, September 1: Union Minister for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh has urged the Technology Development Board (TDB) to intensify efforts to explain the objectives and application process of the government’s ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund to technology companies, researchers and other eligible stakeholders.

Speaking at the 30th Foundation Day programme of TDB, the Minister said that the scale of interest in the RDI Fund made it important to ensure that potential beneficiaries clearly understand what the scheme is designed to achieve. He pointed out that a large volume of applications was being received, including from people and organisations that appeared to have limited clarity about the Fund.

Singh stressed that the RDI Fund should not be viewed simply as another financing window or a conventional lending mechanism. According to him, the initiative is aimed at strengthening research and technology development and ensuring that innovation contributes directly to India’s economic growth.

The Minister also underlined the need for continued transparency in the funding mechanism. He said that appropriate safeguards were already in place while adding that further improvements could be considered based on practical suggestions.

Highlighting the mandate of the Technology Development Board, Singh said the institution has an important role in helping promising technologies move beyond research laboratories and reach the marketplace.

He said successful technology development should ultimately result in useful products, services and enterprises that can improve people’s lives, generate employment and strengthen the economy. The Minister described TDB as an important link between scientific research and commercial application.

Referring to the changing technology landscape, Singh said institutions and stakeholders would need to adapt their approach as innovation evolves rapidly. He also emphasised the importance of continuous learning and curiosity in keeping pace with emerging technologies.

Start-ups No Longer Limited to Major Technology Hubs

The Minister also spoke about India’s expanding start-up ecosystem and called for outdated perceptions about entrepreneurship to be challenged.

He noted that innovation is no longer concentrated in major technology centres such as Bengaluru and Hyderabad, with a significant share of start-ups emerging from smaller cities and towns. He also highlighted the growing participation of women in entrepreneurship and said that start-up activity should not be associated exclusively with younger age groups.

Singh further advocated greater collaboration between government institutions and private players. He cited developments in areas such as space, biotechnology and nuclear technology as examples where increased private-sector participation can help expand India’s technological capabilities.

The Minister appreciated TDB for supporting technologies through the transition from research to commercial deployment. He referred to companies including Skyroot and BotLab while highlighting the Board’s contribution to emerging areas of technology.

He said that a flexible and forward-looking approach could help TDB remain relevant as new technology sectors develop. The Board, he added, should continue supporting innovation at different stages rather than restricting its role to a narrow set of conventional areas.

Singh also pointed to the importance of bringing together resources and expertise from different institutions to build a stronger innovation ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the Minister said TDB should play a role in supporting technology development from its initial stages through subsequent phases of commercialisation. He noted that the RDI Fund is designed to provide support at a later stage of technological development, with TDB taking the lead in rolling out proposals at the relevant level.

He said India’s technology ecosystem has the potential to create globally competitive companies and strengthen the country’s position in the Global South. Greater technological self-reliance, he added, would have implications not only for economic development but also for India’s standing internationally.

Singh described TDB’s first three decades as a period focused on connecting laboratories with markets. The next phase, he said, should aim at creating technology champions capable of competing globally.

The Minister concluded by calling for greater focus on innovation, stronger public-private cooperation and wider participation in research and technology development as India works towards its vision of becoming a developed nation by 2047.