**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided in Lok Sabha on 03/12/2025 regarding the establishment of the National Research Foundation (NRF) and the steps taken by the government to increase R&D and private sector participation. The Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023 came into force on February 5, 2024. A key initiative is the Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme, approved on July 1, 2025, with a total outlay of ₹1 lakh crore over 6 years.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Research Foundation (NRF) Establishment and Purpose:**
* Established through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023.
* Act came into force on February 5, 2024.
* Aims to provide high-level strategic direction for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
* Overarching goal is to seed, grow and promote R&D and foster a culture of research and innovation.
* **NRF Programs and Initiatives:**
* Align national research efforts with strategic priorities.
* Support research across disciplinary and interdisciplinary areas of science and technology through competitive funding.
* Strengthen R&D capabilities in state universities.
* Implement mission-mode programs.
* Encourage private sector participation in R&D.
* Provide limited support through fellowships, seminars, and workshop grants.
* Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas (MAHA) promotes priority-driven, solution-oriented research.
* Four missions launched under MAHA: Electric Vehicle (EV) Mission, 2D Innovation Hub, MedTech Mission, and Al for Science and Engineering initiative.
* MAHA–EV Mission mandates participation from relevant industries, PSUs, and start-ups and requires industry partners to contribute 10% of the total project cost.
* **Government Measures to Strengthen R&D:**
* Building indigenous capabilities in critical technologies.
* Establishing national mission programs.
* Operationalising the ANRF to support high-impact and translational research.
* Enhancing industry-academia collaboration.
* Promoting private-sector participation in R&D.
* Establishing a ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund.
* Strengthening human capital for R&D through fellowship schemes.
* **Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme:**
* Approved on July 1, 2025 with a total outlay of ₹1 lakh crore over 6 years.
* Aims to incentivize private sector participation in research and development (R&D).
* Provides long-term financing at low interest rates to spur private sector investment in RDI.
* Designed to overcome funding challenges in the private sector and provide growth & risk capital.
* Main objectives: Encourage private sector to scale up RDI, finance transformative projects, support acquisition of critical technologies, and facilitate setting up of Deep-Tech Funds.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Universities, Colleges, Research Institutions, and R&D Laboratories**
* **Impact:** Beneficiaries of funding and support to foster research and innovation. They will be part of the NRF's mission to promote research and development across India.
* **Action Required:** Align research efforts with the NRF's strategic priorities, seek funding opportunities, and participate in collaborative programs.
**Stakeholder: Private Sector Companies (including Industries, PSUs, and Start-ups)**
* **Impact:** Opportunity to participate in R&D activities, access funding through the RDI scheme, and collaborate with academic institutions. MAHA-EV mission mandates participation and financial contribution (10% of project cost).
* **Action Required:** Explore opportunities for R&D collaboration, apply for RDI scheme funding, and participate in relevant missions and programs.
**Stakeholder: Researchers and Scientists**
* **Impact:** Increased funding opportunities, support for research projects, and access to fellowship schemes. Enhanced career prospects through R&D.
* **Action Required:** Apply for research grants, participate in fellowship programs, and align research with national priorities.
**Stakeholder: Government (Ministry of Science and Technology, Department of Science and Technology)**
* **Impact:** Responsible for the implementation and oversight of the NRF and RDI Scheme. Need to monitor progress, allocate funds, and ensure alignment with national priorities.
* **Action Required:** Effectively manage and administer the NRF and RDI Scheme, monitor outcomes, and adjust strategies as needed.
Key Entities Referenced
Anusandhan National Research Foundation Act, 2023: Act that established the National Research Foundation (NRF) in India to provide strategic direction for research and innovation.
National Research Foundation (NRF): The organization established to increase R&D expenditure and private sector involvement in research; aims to foster a research culture in India.
Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme: Scheme to incentivize private sector participation in research and development through long-term financing at low interest rates.
Ministry of Science and Technology: The Indian government ministry responsible for science and technology policy and research.
Mission for Advancement in High-impact Areas (MAHA): A major initiative under ANRF that promotes priority-driven, solution-oriented research
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 529
ANSWERED ON 03/12/2025
NATIONAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION (NRF)
529. SHRI BASAVARAJ BOMMAI:
Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:
(a) the progress made so far in setting up of a National Research Foundation
(NRF) to increase the expenditure on R&D and to provide increasing role to
private sector;
(b) the details of the steps that are being taken by the Government to
increase R&D outlook in the country to create a competitive R&D ecosystem;
and
(c) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government to increase
participation of private sector in the research field?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES
(DR. JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) ANRF has been established through the Anusandhan National Research
Foundation Act, 2023 (25 of 2023). The provisions of the Act came into force on
5th February 2024. It aims to provide high level strategic direction for research,
innovation and entrepreneurship in the field of natural sciences including
mathematical sciences, engineering and technology, environmental and earth
sciences, health and agriculture, and scientific and technological interfaces of
humanities and social sciences, to promote, monitor and provide support as
required for such research and for matters connected therewith or incidental
thereto. The overarching goal of the ANRF will be to seed, grow and promote
research and development (R&D) and foster a culture of research and
innovation throughout India’s universities, colleges, research institutions, and
R&D laboratories.
The programmes and initiatives under the ANRF have been formulated to align
national research efforts with strategic priorities. These include supporting
research across disciplinary and interdisciplinary areas of science and
technology through competitive funding; strengthening R&D capabilities in
state universities; implementing mission-mode programmes in domains of
national importance; encouraging private-sector participation in R&D; and
providing limited support through fellowships, seminars, and workshop grants.
A major initiative under ANRF is the Mission for Advancement in High-impact
Areas (MAHA), which promotes priority-driven, solution-oriented research
Page 1 of 2through multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary, and multi-investigator
collaborations. Under the MAHA programme, ANRF has so far identified and
launched four missions: the Electric Vehicle (EV) Mission, the 2D Innovation
Hub, the MedTech Mission, and the AI for Science and Engineering initiative.
ANRF’s programmes focus on strengthening industry-academia collaboration
and promoting translational, mission-driven research with active industry
involvement. To ensure effective engagement, the MAHA–EV Mission mandates
participation from relevant industries, PSUs, and start-ups, and includes a
requirement for industry partners to contribute 10% of the total project cost.
(b) To strengthen the country’s R&D outlook and create a competitive
national research ecosystem, the Government is undertaking a series of
strategic measures. These include building indigenous capabilities in critical
technologies such as semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence, 5G/6G, quantum
computing, biotechnology, clean energy, space technologies, and cyber-
physical systems; establishing national mission programmes such as the
National Quantum Mission, the India Semiconductor Mission, and the National
Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) to drive
coordinated, mission-mode research. Further steps include operationalising the
Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) to support high-impact and
translational research; enhancing industry-academia collaboration; promoting
private-sector participation in R&D; and establishing a ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund
to catalyse research and innovation in sunrise and strategic sectors. The
Government is also strengthening human capital for R&D through fellowship
schemes such as the Prime Minister’s Early Career Research Grant and other
research support programmes.
(c) One of the key initiatives to increase participation of private sector is
launching of Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme. On July 1,
2025 the Union Cabinet approved the RDI Scheme with a total outlay of ₹1 lakh
crore over 6 years to incentivize private sector participation in research and
development (R&D).
RDI Scheme aims to provide long-term financing at low interest rates to spur
private sector investment in RDI. The scheme has been designed to overcome
the constraints and challenges in funding of private sector and seeks to provide
growth & risk capital to sunrise and strategic sectors to facilitate innovation,
promote adoption of technology and enhance competitiveness. The main
objectives of the RDI scheme are to 1) encourage the private sector to scale
up research, development and innovation (RDI) in sunrise domains and in other
sectors relevant for economic security, strategic purpose, and self-reliance, 2)
finance transformative projects at higher levels of Technology Readiness Level
(TRL) of 4 and above, 3) support acquisition of technologies which are critical
or of high strategic importance, and 4) facilitate setting up of Deep-Tech of
Funds.
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