Govt announces relaxation for Deep-Tech Startups for DSIR recognition
Published: Jan 06, 2026
By TIOLCorplaws News Service
NEW DELHI, JAN 06, 2026: MARKING the 42nd Foundation Day of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) under the Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST), Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, PMO, Department of Space and Department of Atomic Energy, Dr. Jitendra Singh, yesterday announced a major relaxation of the mandatory three-year existence condition for deep-tech startups to avail recognition under DSIRs Industrial Research and Development Promotion Program.
The move, aimed at accelerating India's StartUp ecosystem, is expected to provide early momentum to early starters or beginners of StartUp projects as well as promising innovators and entrepreneurs.
Addressing the gathering, the Minister said that while the Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund has generated unprecedented enthusiasm across the country, it is designed to support startups that have graduated to a certain level of technological maturity. "For early-stage innovators or Startups, a wide basket of schemes already exists across departments such as DST, CSIR, TDB and others. The removal of the three-year existence requirement is a significant incentive to help deep-tech startups scale faster, even before they are fully on their own," he said, adding that the reform reflects the Government's trust in India's innovators and its confidence in their sustainability and intent.
The Minister explained that the CSIR has been extending financial assistance to startups earlier as well, including loans of varying amounts, in some cases up to Rs 1 crore, but these were subject to a mandatory condition of demonstrating sustainability and viability through a minimum three-year existence. "That requirement has now been done away with," the Minister said, describing the move as a major incentive with a noble intent to accelerate and sustain new deep-tech startups even before they are fully established on their own, while continuing to maintain appropriate evaluation standards linked to technological maturity.
The Minister later congratulated the entire DSIR family on the occasion, describing the relationship between DSIR and CSIR as an "intergenerational symbiosis", where both institutions complement and strengthen each other. Drawing an analogy with a joint family, he said that while DSIR emerged from CSIR, the latter's present-day technology transfers, MoUs and industry partnerships are equally enabled by DSIR's facilitative role. He highlighted that this close coordination has transformed interdisciplinary science into intergenerational collaboration, critical for India's innovation ecosystem.
Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted that India has moved beyond the goal of "Atmanirbhar Bharat" and is now entering a phase where other nations are becoming increasingly dependent on Indian capabilities. Citing examples from vaccines, medical devices, and indigenous technologies, he said India has transitioned from import dependence to exports worth several crores, reflecting the growing global acceptance of Indian science and technology. "We are not only self-reliant; we are making others rely on us," he remarked.
Emphasising DSIR's four pillars- Science, Industry, R&D and Technology Transfer, the Minister said that meaningful research cannot be sustained without industry as an early and essential partner. He noted that DSIR's role has expanded beyond certification to include fiscal incentives such as customs duty exemptions, making it more attractive for industry, MSMEs and startups to collaborate with government-supported R&D.
The Minister also highlighted the strong participation of women, revealing that over 10,000 women beneficiaries are currently availing DSIR schemes, including more than 55 women-led Self-Help Groups, calling it a healthy and irreversible shift in India's innovation culture.
The Foundation Day celebrations were marked by the launch of four significant initiatives by the Minister:
The DSIR Guidelines for Recognition of In-House R&D Centres of Deep-Tech Startups, incorporating the relaxation of the three-year existence condition.
PRISM Network Platform – TOCIC Innovator Pulse, aimed at strengthening innovation pipelines.
Creative India 2025 under the PRISM scheme to promote innovation-led entrepreneurship.
DSIR Disaster Management Plan, reinforcing preparedness and resilience.
Several important MoUs and agreements were exchanged in the presence of the Minister and senior dignitaries:
Agreement under the Technology Development and Utilisation Programme for Women (TDUPW) for establishing a Skill Satellite Centre at Dhamtari, Chhattisgarh, in collaboration with NIT Raipur, aimed at technology-led skill development and livelihood generation for rural women.
Transfer of Technology (ToT) Agreements for the technologies developed under the Common Research and Technology Development Hubs (CRTDH) Programme supported to CSIR-CEERI, Pilani, for licensing to industry partners, highlights strengthening MSME-focused R&D infrastructure across the country.
The event witnessed the presence of senior leadership from across the science and innovation ecosystem, including Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR; Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India; S.C.L. Das, Secretary, MSME; Dr. M. Ravichandran, Secretary, MoES; Mahendra Gupta, Joint Secretary, DSIR, and Dr, Vipin Shukla, Scientist G and Organising Chairman of this Foundation Day, among others.
In her address, Dr. N. Kalaiselvi, Secretary, DSIR, highlighted the department's critical role in recognising in-house R&D units, SIROs and publicly funded research institutions across the country. She noted that DSIR's unique structure, comprising a department, an autonomous organisation like CSIR, and two PSUs, CEL and NRDC, has enabled it to serve as a vital bridge between government, academia, and industry. She expressed satisfaction over DSIR's growing visibility and the grand scale of this year's Foundation Day celebrations, reaffirming the department's commitment to national development through science and innovation.
Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor, underscored the importance of technology sovereignty in the current geopolitical context. Referring to the Rs 1 lakh crore RDI Fund announced by the Prime Minister, he emphasised the need to scale breakthroughs from lab to market and strengthen private-sector R&D, particularly at TRL-4 and above. He also highlighted the development of the National Technology Readiness Assessment Framework (NTRF) to bring greater rigour and objectivity in assessing technologies, and spoke about platforms such as Manthan and Uthaan, which are enabling demand-driven innovation and greater participation of Tier-II and Tier-III institutions.
Concluding the event, Dr. Jitendra Singh reiterated that DSIR's work aligns closely with national missions in energy transition, critical and emerging technologies, manufacturing, semiconductors, robotics, AI and space. He said the relaxation of the three-year existence criterion is driven by a "noble intent to accelerate and sustain new startups", and expressed confidence that India's innovators will use this opportunity responsibly. "This Foundation Day is not just a celebration of the past, but a decisive step towards building a future-ready, technology-sovereign India," the Minister said.
