Deep Tech in India

Syllabus: GS3/Science and Technology

Context

• The Union government has undertaken various measures, including a policy push, to promote deep tech in India. 

Deep Technology

• Deep Technology refers to innovations founded on advanced scientific and technological breakthroughs. 

• Currently India has over 3600 Deep Tech startups, with over 480 being established in 2023 itself.

Significance of India’s Deep-Tech Ambitions

• Global Leadership: It positions India as a trusted R&D hub in the global landscape, leveraging its massive STEM talent pool to lead in frontier technologies.
• Technological Sovereignty: Reduces critical reliance on foreign imports for national security, defense, and space, ensuring India isn’t vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions.
• Solving Local Challenges: Enables India-first solutions for massive social hurdles, such as AI for rural healthcare, precision agriculture for food security, and green hydrogen for energy independence.
• Economic Value: A robust deep-tech ecosystem enables India to move up the global value chain, shifting from low-cost services and assembly-based manufacturing to high-value research, design and intellectual property creation.

Challenges 

• Deep tech often requires large upfront investment and long development timelines, making it less attractive to traditional venture capital.
• Limited access to specialised labs, supercomputing and testing facilities slows innovation. 
• A shortage of specialised research talent and relatively low industry‑linked R&D spending compared with global peers hinder progress. 
• Deep tech solutions often face regulatory and adoption barriers that delay commercialisation.

Government Initiatives

• The Draft National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) is strategically formulated to stimulate innovation, spur economic growth, and promote societal development through the effective utilization of deep tech research-driven innovations.
  • This policy aims to significantly strengthen India’s capabilities and enhance global competitiveness.
• IndiaAI Mission (2024): It has a budget  of ₹10,300 crore over five years.
  • A key goal is the creation of a high-end common computing facility with 18,693 GPUs.

• India’s AI Models & Language Technologies: The government is facilitating the development of India’s own foundational models, including Large Language Models (LLMs) and problem-specific AI solutions tailored to Indian needs.
• Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme: To finance innovation at scale, the Government also announced a new Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund with a total outlay of ₹1 lakh crore.
• The Government has notified the Indian Space Policy, 2023, which clearly delineates the roles of ISRO, IN-SPACe and industry, thereby enabling private sector participation across the entire space value chain.
• Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) norms in the space sector have been liberalised, permitting up to 100% FDI in satellite manufacturing and components, and enhanced limits in launch vehicles and satellite operations, to attract global capital and technology.
• Establishment of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) under the ANRF Act, 2023.
  • The ANRF is intended to provide strategic direction, competitive funding opportunities and collaboration pathways across industry, academia and government
• The National Quantum Mission launched in 2023 for the period 2023‑24 to 2030‑31 to accelerate research, development, and deployment of quantum technologies, including quantum computing, communication, and sensing. 
• The Bio-E3 Policy is being implemented to promote biotechnology entrepreneurship, biomanufacturing, and bio-based innovation, creating an enabling environment for startups to scale their solutions in emerging biotechnologies.
• AI Centers of Excellence: Establishing dedicated AI hubs and innovation centers across the country to support AI startups and research.
• Semicon India Program: Launched in 2021, it is structured to promote the domestic semiconductor industry through incentives and strategic partnerships.
  • At Global Investors Summit 2025, it was announced that India’s first indigenous semiconductor chip will be ready for production by 2025.

Source: TH