**Summary:**
The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), through IndiaAI and in collaboration with the National Cancer Grid (NCG), has launched the Cancer AI Technology Challenge (CATCH) Grant Program. This initiative aims to foster the development and deployment of Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to enhance cancer screening, diagnostics, treatment support, and healthcare operations throughout India. The CATCH Grant Program will award pilot grants of up to ₹50 lakh per project to selected teams comprised of technology innovators and clinical institutions, co-funded by IndiaAI and NCG. Successful pilot projects demonstrating clinical impact and operational readiness may be eligible for scale-up funding of up to ₹1 crore, facilitated by IndiaAI, for broader deployment within the NCG network or through national implementation pathways. The program will focus on AI-enabled solutions in areas such as screening, diagnostics, clinical decision support, patient engagement, operational efficiency, research, and data curation. Up to 10 proposals will be selected for piloting, based on technical maturity, feasibility, and alignment with healthcare delivery needs. Eligible applicants include startups, health technology companies, academic institutions, and public or private hospitals; joint applications from clinical and technical leads are encouraged. Applications are being accepted through an online portal hosted by IndiaAI and NCG, with a submission deadline of September 2, 2025. Further information and application details can be found at https:indiaai.gov.inarticleacceleratingoncology innovationlaunchoftheindiaaincgcanceraitechnologychallengecatch. IndiaAI, an Independent Business Division (IBD) under the Digital India Corporation (DIC), serves as the implementation agency for the IndiaAI Mission.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Electronics and IT: Indian government ministry responsible for electronics and information technology policy.
IndiaAI: Independent Business Division (IBD) under Digital India Corporation (DIC) and the implementation agency of the IndiaAI Mission.
National Cancer Grid: A network of cancer centers across India.
CATCH Grant Program: Cancer AI Technology Challenge Grant Program, an initiative to support AI innovations in cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
IndiaAI Mission: A national mission to democratize AI's benefits, bolster India's global AI leadership, foster technological self-reliance, and ensure ethical AI use.
Digital India Corporation: An entity under Ministry of Electronics and IT
Dharmendra Tewari: Individual mentioned in policy text
Navin Sreejith: Individual mentioned in policy text
Ministry of Electronics & IT
IndiaAI and National Cancer Grid Launch CATCH
Grant Program to Support AI Innovations in Cancer
Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Up to 10 Selected Projects to Receive Pilot Grants
up to 50 Lakh and Scale-Up Funding up to 1 Crore
for Nationwide Deployment
Startups, Health Tech Firms, Academia, and
Hospitals Can Apply by September 2, 2025
Posted On: 08 AUG 2025 6:44PM by PIB Delhi
IndiaAI Independent Business Division (IBD), in collaboration with the National Cancer Grid (NCG), has
announced the launch of the Cancer AI & Technology Challenge (CATCH) Grant Program. This
initiative seeks to support the development and deployment of innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions
to strengthen cancer screening, diagnostics, treatment support, and healthcare operations across India.
The CATCH Grant Program will provide up to ₹50 lakh per project to selected teams comprising technology
innovators and clinical institutions. The grants will be co-funded by IndiaAI and NCG. The initiative is
designed to catalyse piloted deployment of AI solutions within the NCG hospital network, with the potential
for future scale-up based on demonstrated clinical impact and operational readiness.
Successful pilot projects may also be eligible for an additional scale-up grant of up to ₹1 crore, facilitated by
IndiaAI, for wider deployment across the NCG network or through national implementation pathways.
The Challenge will focus on high-impact categories including AI-enabled screening, diagnostics, clinical
decision support, patient engagement, operational efficiency, research, and data curation. A total of up to 10
proposals will be selected for piloting under this round, based on technical maturity, feasibility, and alignment
with healthcare delivery needs.
Applicants may include startups, health technology companies, academic institutions, and public or private
hospitals. Joint applications from Clinical Leads (hospitals or clinicians) and Technical Leads (technology
developers) are encouraged. The program will emphasis responsible AI development, clinical validation, and
readiness for deployment in Indian healthcare contexts.
Applications will be accepted through an online portal hosted by IndiaAI and NCG. The last date for
submission is September 2, 2025.
For more information and to apply, please visit: [https://indiaai.gov.in/article/accelerating-oncology-
innovation-launch-of-the-indiaai-ncg-cancer-ai-technology-challenge-catch]
IndiaAI, an IBD under the Digital India Corporation (DIC) of the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY), is
the implementation agency of the IndiaAI Mission, which aims to democratize AI's benefits across all strata of
society, bolster India’s global leadership in AI, foster technological self-reliance, and ensure ethical andresponsible use of AI.
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Dharmendra Tewari/ Navin Sreejith/ Vivek Vishwash
(Release ID: 2154341)