₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Scheme India: PM Modi launches 25,000 new Atal Tinkering Labs and 10,000 research fellowships to boost innovation, AI, and technology development across India.
PM launches ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI scheme & 25,000 new Atal Labs
In a significant stride to propel India’s innovation ecosystem, Narendra Modi on 3 November 2025 launched a comprehensive new initiative at the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The plan sets aside ₹1 lakh crore for a dedicated Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) scheme aimed at supporting high-risk, high-impact research, strengthening the link between lab and market, and positioning India as a global science and technology leader.
At the same time, the government announced the establishment of 25,000 new Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) — expanding on the existing network of around 10,000 labs that have already reached over 1 crore students.
Further boosting research capacity, the programme includes an additional 10,000 “PM Research Fellowships (PMRFs)” over the next five years, targeted at young scholars in strategic domains such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, green hydrogen, semiconductor development and deep-sea exploration.
Major components of the initiative
₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Scheme
The scheme will infuse long-term funding into breakthrough technologies, attract private-sector involvement in research and development, support prototype-to-product transitions, and overhaul procurement and financial norms to make research easier and faster.
25,000 New Atal Tinkering Labs
These labs are envisaged as hands-on innovation spaces in schools nationwide, offering students exposure to robotics, AI, design thinking and problem-solving from an early stage. The expansion forms part of the government’s push to develop a scientific temper and local innovation culture.
10,000 PM Research Fellowships
The additional fellowships will empower young researchers and PhD scholars to work on frontier domains, with institutional and financial support geared toward building a robust knowledge economy anchored in cutting-edge innovation.
India AI Mission & Ethical Innovation
Prime Minister Modi stressed that innovation must be responsible, human-centric and inclusive. Under the umbrella of the India AI Mission, the government has committed over ₹10,000 crore toward AI development aligned with ethics and inclusivity.
Implications for India’s innovation & education ecosystem
This initiative is a bold push to bridge the gap between India’s significant human capital and the relatively smaller scale of high-impact research outcomes. By embedding innovation early (via the ATLs) and providing substantial backing for high-end research (via the RDI scheme and PMRFs), the government is signalling its ambition to leap-frog in key strategic technologies.
For students preparing for teaching, defence, civil-service or banking roles, this is a crucial policy development: it underlines India’s growing shift from consumption to creation, emphasises emerging technologies in governance, education and economy, and indicates new skills and knowledge domains that stakeholders (including exam candidates) must be familiar with.
Why this News is Important
Strengthening India’s global R&D posture
India has long aimed to enhance its research and innovation profile, but has faced challenges in translating research into commercial products and disrupting high-technology domains. With the ₹1 lakh crore RDI scheme, the government is signalling a major leap in addressing this gap—providing long-term funding and private-sector linkages for breakthrough research.
Early-stage innovation in education
By expanding the network of Atal Tinkering Labs to 25,000 more, the government is investing in grassroots innovation and scientific temper among school students. This will help build a pipeline of talent attuned to problem-solving, robotics, AI and design thinking—skills that will be increasingly relevant for government jobs, teaching roles and technical recruits.
Relevance for aspirants across sectors
Whether students are preparing for civil services (e.g., Union Public Service Commission exams), defence, banking, railways or teaching, this move touches multiple spheres: policy understanding, knowledge of flagship schemes, emerging technology awareness and the future direction of India’s governance and economy. Knowing this initiative offers exam-relevant content: scheme details, focus areas, institutional roles and strategic goals.
Indication of priority areas
The fellowship scheme highlights priority domains—AI, quantum, green hydrogen, semiconductors, deep-sea exploration—all topics now gaining importance in exam syllabi (especially for science & technology, GS papers). Aspirants who aware themselves of these domains will have an edge.
In summary, this news is not only a significant policy development but also a strategic pointer for students aiming for competitive exams—it helps them align with national trends, understand emerging governance themes and integrate this knowledge into their preparation.
Historical Context
India’s journey in research and innovation has seen several milestones. Historically, the focus was largely on growing human capital, basic research and institutional expansion (for example, through central universities, IITs, IISERs). Over time, the challenge shifted from quantity to quality and effectiveness of research—particularly the ability to translate lab discoveries into market-ready solutions and global patents.
In recent years, the government launched initiatives such as the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to create Atal Tinkering Labs and boost school-level innovation. Another component was the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) proposed to consolidate research funding and governance. The current scheme builds on these foundations by dramatically scaling funding, expanding grassroots labs and introducing large-scale fellowships targeted at advanced research.
Additionally, global technological competition—especially in AI, quantum computing and semiconductors—has influenced India’s push to reduce dependencies and build a home-grown ecosystem. The new RDI scheme is aligned with this strategic push.
Thus, this announcement represents a continuity of past policy efforts, but with markedly greater scale, ambition and clarity of direction.
Key Takeaways from “PM launches ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI scheme & 25,000 new Atal Labs”
| S.No | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| 1 | The government has approved a ₹1 lakh crore RDI scheme to fund high-risk, high-impact research, enhance private sector participation and accelerate lab-to-market transitions. |
| 2 | An additional 25,000 Atal Tinkering Labs will be established across India to expand hands-on innovation exposure for school students, building on the existing ~10,000 labs. |
| 3 | The programme includes 10,000 PM Research Fellowships (PMRFs) over five years, focusing on frontier areas like AI, quantum computing, green hydrogen, semiconductors and deep-sea exploration. |
| 4 | Under the India AI Mission, the government has committed over ₹10,000 crore to promote ethical, inclusive AI development tied to areas such as logistics, education and governance. |
| 5 | The initiative was launched at the ESTIC 2025 event on 3 November 2025 in New Delhi, showcasing the government’s vision to turn India into a global engineering and innovation hub |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the main purpose of the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Scheme?
The ₹1 Lakh Crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme aims to boost high-impact, high-risk research and strengthen India’s innovation ecosystem by linking research with industrial application and promoting technology-led entrepreneurship.
2. How many new Atal Tinkering Labs will be established under this initiative?
A total of 25,000 new Atal Tinkering Labs will be established in schools across India, in addition to the existing network of about 10,000 labs already operational.
3. What are the key focus areas of the new PM Research Fellowships?
The fellowships focus on emerging strategic technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing, green hydrogen, semiconductor development, and deep-sea exploration.
4. How does this scheme support students and young researchers?
The scheme funds innovation from school to advanced research levels. Students gain early exposure to innovation through Atal Labs, while young researchers receive funding and fellowships to work on frontier technologies.
5. What is the India AI Mission and how is it connected to this initiative?
The India AI Mission, with a government allocation of over ₹10,000 crore, aims to promote responsible and ethical AI development aligned with India’s societal and economic goals. It complements the RDI scheme’s focus on emerging technologies.
6. When and where was the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Scheme launched?
The scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 3 November 2025 during the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
7. Why is this news significant for government exam aspirants?
This initiative represents a flagship government policy with direct implications for India’s science and technology advancement, innovation policy, and education reform — all of which are key areas in UPSC, SSC, teaching, and banking exams.
8. Which ministry will implement the ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI scheme?
The scheme will primarily be implemented under the Ministry of Science and Technology, in coordination with the NITI Aayog and other allied departments.
9. What is the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM)?
AIM is a government initiative under NITI Aayog launched to foster innovation and entrepreneurship through Atal Tinkering Labs, Atal Incubation Centres, and other national innovation programs.
10. What are the expected outcomes of the new RDI Scheme?
The expected outcomes include increased patent filings, stronger collaboration between academia and industry, enhanced R&D investment, and positioning India as a global hub for technology-driven innovation.
Some Important Current Affairs Links
