India Puts RDI Fund to Work With First Payout, Five Deals, Quantum-Safe Plan

Overview

• The government’s RDI Fund moved into implementation Saturday as the Technology Development Board signed five project agreements and transferred Rs 50 crore to Eyestem Research.
• The first slate spans batteries, satellites, cell therapy, a portable ICU-grade life-support device, and an unmanned helicopter, with awards to e-TRNL Energy, Dhruva Space, Eyestem, Noccarc Robotics, and Endure Air Systems.
• TDB released a compendium that logged 124 proposals seeking more than Rs 25,000 crore and confirmed 22 companies selected for funding, with 15 identified through a nationwide search tied to Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice.
• Officials unveiled a “Quantum-Safe Ecosystem in India” report and warned that post-quantum cryptography, quantum key distribution, and secure networks are essential to protect banking, governance, telecom, and strategic systems.
• Under the National Quantum Mission, leaders said India has completed nearly half of its 2,000 km quantum-secure communication goal in under four years, pointing to faster rollouts that could strengthen critical digital infrastructure.