The Government has accorded high priority in the current Budget to strengthen Science & Technology and promote private sector participation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deep-tech sectors.

In this direction, the Government has launched the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme on 03 November 2025, with a total outlay of ₹1 lakh crore over a period of six years. The Scheme aims to incentivise private sector investment in R&D across strategic and sunrise sectors, including deep technologies such as quantum computing, robotics and space; AI and its applications in agriculture, healthcare and education; energy transition and climate action; biotechnology, biomanufacturing, pharmaceuticals and medical devices; and the digital economy, including digital agriculture.

The Scheme is being operationalised through a Special Purpose Fund (SPF) established within the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), with a two-tier funding structure. Under this mechanism, the SPF custodises the corpus and channels funds to Second-Level Fund Managers (SLFMs). The Technology Development Board (TDB) and the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) have been designated as SLFMs and have issued calls for proposals in February 2026. Further, applications for additional SLFMs, including Fund of Funds, have been invited and are under evaluation. The Scheme supports technology development at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 and above by start-ups, companies and industry-led R&D entities.

Further, the Department of Science & Technology (DST) is implementing the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), under which 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) have been established in areas such as AI, robotics, IoT, cybersecurity and quantum technologies. Under this Mission, the Bharat-Gen initiative is being implemented to develop multimodal, multilingual generative AI models tailored for India.

In addition, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), under its Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas (MAHA), supports Artificial Intelligence for Science & Engineering, promoting industry-academia collaboration and accelerating the development and commercialisation of AI-driven solutions.

Moreover, the Union Cabinet approved the IndiaAI Mission in March 2024, with a total outlay of ₹10,371.92 crore over a period of five years, to build a robust and inclusive AI ecosystem in the country. The Mission is being implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and focuses on strengthening innovation, supporting research and start-ups, enhancing data access, and ensuring responsible AI deployment. The IndiaAI Mission comprises seven key pillars, including compute capacity, foundation models, datasets platform, application development, skilling, startup financing, and safe & trusted AI.

Under this Mission, initiatives such as BharatGen, India’s indigenous multilingual multimodal large language model supporting 22 Indian languages, have been launched. Further, approval has been accorded for development of a sovereign LLM ecosystem to enhance public service delivery and digital trust.

The detailed allocation under the NM-ICPS, RDI, and IndiaAI Mission (for 5 years) is as follows:

 

The Government is undertaking multiple initiatives to strengthen the Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem in the country through the establishment of Centres of Excellence (CoEs) and related institutional mechanisms.

In this regard, three Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence have been approved in key sectors namely healthcare, agriculture, and sustainable cities at reputed academic institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). These CoEs aim to promote research-driven innovation, develop scalable AI-based solutions, and foster collaboration among academia, industry, and government.

Further, under the IndiaAI Mission, efforts are being made to enable access to high-end computing infrastructure, support research and innovation, and promote the development of AI applications for public good.

The Government is also strengthening the AI ecosystem in education and skilling through initiatives including establishment of Centres of Excellence and integration of AI in learning frameworks, to equip youth with industry-relevant skills and build a future-ready workforce. The Ministry of Education is supporting such initiatives, including Centres of Excellence and skilling programmes in emerging technologies, benefiting all States and Union Territories

This information was given by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

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