Dr. Jitendra Singh
♦ Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on 4 February 2026 launched the first open call of the Technology Development Board (TDB) under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, marking a major step towards strengthening India’s innovation ecosystem through structured, long-term financing for indigenous technologies. The initiative, unveiled under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), aims to support the commercialisation of high-risk, high-impact technologies and represents a significant shift from conventional government funding models. ♦ The RDI Fund has a total corpus of Rs.1 lakh crore and offers concessional financing at interest rates of around 2 - 4 percent, with repayment tenures of up to 15 years, including moratorium provisions. ♦ The RDI Fund was approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2025 and formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2025 as part of the government’s long-term strategy to build indigenous technological capabilities and strengthen India’s innovation-driven economy.