First call under ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund
What happened
- The first call under the Research, Development and Innovation Fund was launched. The fund has a corpus of ₹1 lakh crore and lends at about 2–4% for up to 15 years [PIB].
- About 191 proposals were received in the first call [PIB].
Background
- India’s R&D spend is under 1% of GDP and private R&D is thin. The RDI Fund targets that gap.
Why it matters
- Long, cheap capital suits deep-tech, where payback is slow.
How to use this in Mains
- As per PIB (2026-02-04): the first call under the Research, Development and Innovation Fund was launched. The fund has a corpus of ₹1 lakh crore and lends at about 2–4% for up to 15 years.
- Long, cheap capital suits deep-tech, where payback is slow.
Quotable data pointAbout 191 proposals were received in the first call.
PIB: S&T: RDI Fund first call, 4 Feb 2026
Exam angle
UPSC
Prelims: RDI Fund.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
Practice · UPSC
RDI Fund corpus
Answer (b) & explanation
PIB.
Practice · UPSC
Interest rate range
Answer (b) & explanation
PIB.
Practice · UPSC
Max tenure
Answer (b) & explanation
PIB.
Go deeper
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Official source: PIB: S&T: RDI Fund first call, 4 Feb 2026
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending