Dr Jitendra Singh Announces ₹2,000 Cr BIRAC–RDI Fund Call for Biotech

Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh today announced the first national call under the BIRAC–RDI Fund, marking a major step in scaling high-impact biotechnology innovation as part of the Government of India's ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) initiative.

Dr. Singh, who holds Independent Charge of the Ministries of Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, and also serves as MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, said the launch signals a decisive shift in India's science and innovation landscape.

"This reflects India's transition from being a late entrant to becoming an early mover in emerging technologies," he said.

The launch event was attended by Dr. Vinod Paul, Member, NITI Aayog; Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology; Dr. Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, BIRAC; senior officials from DST and ANRF; industry leaders; venture capital representatives; and members of the scientific community.

From 50 to 11,000 Biotech Startups in a Decade

Highlighting India's biotech transformation, Dr. Singh noted that the number of biotech startups has surged from around 50 in 2014 to more than 11,000 today, describing it as a "quantum jump" in scale and ambition.

India's bioeconomy, which stood at approximately 8 billion dollars in 2014, has expanded dramatically. According to official figures cited at the event, the bioeconomy has grown from 28 billion dollars in 2012 to 165.7 billion dollars in 2024, with projections of 300 billion dollars by 2030 and an ambitious 1 trillion dollars target by 2047.

He said biotechnology is poised to drive the next industrial revolution in India, much like information technology did in earlier decades.

"The coming phase of industrial growth will be powered by biotech innovation, advanced manufacturing, and new-age entrepreneurship," he stated, adding that the RDI push strengthens India's ability not only to generate ideas but also to industrialise them at scale.

₹2,000 Crore Deployment Under BIRAC

Under the RDI framework, BIRAC (Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council) has been appointed as a second-level fund manager and will deploy ₹2,000 crore over up to five years, with scope for expansion.

Dr. Jitendra Kumar, MD, BIRAC, said the organisation has built a nationwide innovation backbone over the past decade, including:

• More than 100 bio-incubation centres

• Over 10 lakh square feet of incubation space

• Engagement with over 15 lakh startup entrepreneurs

The BIRAC–RDI Fund will support technologies across Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4 to TRL 9, bridging the critical gap between laboratory validation and industrial-scale manufacturing.

The funding model will include a mix of:

• Equity investments

• Convertible instruments

• Long-term debt

Backing High-Risk, Long-Gestation Research

Dr. Rajesh S. Gokhale, Secretary, Department of Biotechnology and Chairman, BIRAC, said the RDI Fund has been structured to support long-gestation, high-risk research requiring patient capital and advanced infrastructure.

He noted that the initiative complements the BioE3 Policy and will accelerate next-generation products in:

• Biopharmaceuticals

• Bio-industrial manufacturing

• Bioenergy

• Blue economy technologies

• Biocomputation

"The objective is to move from research outputs to scalable industrial outcomes," he said.

Emerging Frontiers: Space Biotechnology

Dr. Jitendra Singh also highlighted India's expanding ambitions in frontier domains, including space biotechnology and space medicine.

He revealed that biotechnology experiments are already being conducted in space using indigenously developed kits, covering plant sciences and life sciences research. Such initiatives, he said, enhance India's scientific stature and geopolitical relevance in emerging knowledge domains.

Anchored Under National RDI Framework

The BIRAC–RDI Fund forms part of the broader national RDI initiative, approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2025 and formally launched in November 2025 under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), anchored by the Department of Science & Technology.

The national call for proposals is now open. Eligible startups, SMEs and industry partners can apply through the official portal:https://biracrdif.org

The deadline for Phase 1 submissions is March 31, 2026.

Dr. Singh said the launch sends a clear message that India is ready to lead in biotechnology by combining scientific depth, entrepreneurial energy, financial capital and policy backing.

"India is prepared to shape the next phase of global industrial transformation," he affirmed.