Advanced chemicals, petrochemicals and material technologies brought under the Rs 1 lakh crore RDI Scheme

15 October 2026

The Department of Science and Technology has included advanced chemicals, petrochemicals and material technologies as an additional technology area eligible for funding under the Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme. The inclusion takes effect from 8 October 2026. The decision followed a proposal from the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. The RDI Scheme was launched in November 2025 with a corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore. Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Health and Family Welfare, welcomed the decision. The stated aims are to strengthen domestic manufacturing, reduce dependence on imported technologies and high-value materials, and support indigenous technology development.