TDB-DST signs Agreements; First Fund Disbursement Released under National RDI Initiative by Minister
NEW DELHI: The Minister Dr Jitendra Singh on Saturday said that quantum and Artificial Intelligence (AI) sovereignty, along with indigenous ecosystems will define India’s next-generation growth.
The Minister said, India’s future growth in deep-tech sectors will depend on the country’s ability to adopt a trusted integrated approach. And this is precisely what prompted the launch of the “Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund” Scheme, which is aimed at accelerating private sector participation in research and development.
Addressing a programme organised by the Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science & Technology, at Dr Ambedkar International Centre, New Delhi, Dr Jitendra Singh highlighted that India is moving towards a new phase of innovation-driven growth through coordinated initiatives in quantum technologies, deep-tech financing and industry-led research ecosystems.
During the programme, agreements for five projects under the RDI Fund Scheme were signed, the first electronic fund disbursement under the scheme was released, a compendium on the status report of the RDI Scheme was launched and a report on “Quantum-Safe Ecosystem in India” was formally released.
Highlighting the importance of the RDI initiative, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has adopted several out-of-the-box approaches to strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem and create enabling conditions for private investment in research and development. He noted that, unlike conventional models where governments expect industry participation independently, India has adopted a proactive approach by creating institutional and financial support mechanisms for private-sector-led innovation.
The Minister said the initiative reflects the Government’s commitment to creating an ecosystem where startups, MSMEs and industry can emerge as long-term innovation partners. Referring to the broader reforms undertaken in sectors such as space and deep technology, he said the Government has consistently encouraged institutional openness and stakeholder participation.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also highlighted the growing significance of quantum technologies and said India is now among the select group of countries actively investing in quantum communication, quantum computing, quantum sensing and quantum materials under the National Quantum Mission. Emphasising the importance of future cybersecurity preparedness, the Minister stated that emerging quantum computing capabilities may pose significant challenges to existing cryptographic systems currently used in banking, governance, telecom and strategic infrastructure.
