Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh called for enhancing private sector participation in India’s biotechnology ecosystem, strengthening industry outreach to promote indigenous products and technologies.
He also stressed increasing private investment in this sector during a meeting with senior officials of the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) here.
The meeting discussed measures to expand investment, industry participation and market opportunities for the biotechnology sector. It focused on implementing the BIRAC Research, Development and Innovation Fund (BIRAC‑RDIF), integrating Life Sciences Global Capability Centres with the domestic ecosystem, leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility for biotech initiatives, enhancing BIRAC’s outreach and creating stronger investor linkages for startups and enterprises.
The BIRAC‑RDIF is a key component of the Central government’s Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Fund to advance deep‑tech innovations and indigenous manufacturing under Viksit Bharat 2047.
It acts as a Second Level Fund Manager, to support projects at Technology Readiness Levels 4 to 9 with assistance from Rs 5 crore to Rs 200 crore covering up to 50 per cent of project costs through collateral‑free loans, equity and hybrid instruments.
BIRAC has established a dedicated BIRAC-RDIF division to ensure ring-fenced implementation of the Fund. The first National Call for Proposals was launched on February 13, 2026, along with the BIRAC-RDIF website and an integrated e-portal for receiving applications from eligible startups and industry.
A total of 198 applications has been received and are being appraised in accordance with the scheme guidelines, the statement noted.
