Union Budget 2026: ₹20,000cr set aside for deep-tech fund
This year's Union Budget set aside ₹20,000 crore for the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme—the largest share of the central sector schemes/projects budget under the Ministry of Science and Technology for FY2026-27 (of the ₹23,125 crore earmarked).
While last year's funds saw delays due to slow fund manager appointments, this time the government is pushing to get things moving faster.
Deep-tech fund managers expected to be in place by May
The RDI scheme is all about building a massive ₹1 lakh crore fund over the next few years to power startups and deep-tech projects in AI, quantum computing, biotech, semiconductors, and clean energy.
With nearly 200 applications in for new fund managers (expected to be picked by May), there's real momentum behind supporting young innovators and future-focused tech—so if you're dreaming of building something big in science or tech, this could be your moment.