January 7, 2025: The recent deep-tech reform announcement by the Government to remove the three‑year existence requirement for deep‑tech startups marks beyond a policy tweak, it signals a strategic shift in how India intends to compete in the global innovation race.
Two days after the reform was unveiled, industry experts are calling it one of the most consequential moves for India’s emerging deep‑tech ecosystem. By allowing startups to seek DSIR recognition from day one, the government has effectively opened the gates for early‑stage ventures working in high‑risk, high‑impact technologies to access credibility, funding pathways, and research partnerships much sooner.
The announcement was made by Science and Technology Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh during the 41st Foundation Day of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) in New Delhi. He described the removal of the three‑year condition as a “significant incentive” that reflects the government’s trust in India’s innovators and confidence in their long‑term sustainability.
Deep-Tech Gets a Policy Push: DSIR Drops 3-Year Eligibility Norm – Minister Hails it as a Significant Incentive
The timing of the reform is significant and timely. Deep‑tech startups, especially those in quantum computing, advanced materials, AI‑driven automation, space technologies, and nuclear applications, often require heavy upfront investment and long development cycles. For many of them, waiting three years for DSIR recognition meant losing valuable time, investor interest, and access to government‑supported R&D frameworks.
Dr. Singh highlighted that the reform aligns with a broader pattern of opening high‑value sectors to private participation, including nuclear and space. As India positions itself as a global innovation partner, the government appears intent on removing structural bottlenecks that slow down early‑stage scientific entrepreneurship.
Alongside the policy change, the Minister unveiled several initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s research and innovation infrastructure. These include updated guidelines for recognising in‑house R&D units, the establishment of Centres of Deep-Tech Startups, the launch of the PRISM Network Platform TOCIC Innovator Pulse, and the Creative India 2025 initiative under the PRISM scheme.
“Technology and deep-tech R&D must be viewed through the prism of economic and national security. In a world of concentrated supply chains and rising geopolitical uncertainty, India must urgently build domestic capabilities across the deep-tech value chain to enhance resilience, competitiveness and strategic autonomy” said Mr Lekhan Thakkar, Joint Secretary, National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), Government of India at the CII Global Summit on Technology, R&D, and IP 2025
Analysts say the combined effect of these measures could be transformative. Early DSIR recognition not only boosts investor confidence but also helps startups collaborate with academic institutions, access grants, and participate in national R&D missions. For a sector where speed and early validation often determine survival, the reform could significantly accelerate India’s deep‑tech pipeline.
As global interest in frontier technologies intensifies, India’s latest move signals a clear message: the country is ready to back its innovators early, decisively, and at scale.
