Syllabus: GS-III, Subject: Science and Technology, Topic: Emerging Technology, Issue: Deep Tech
Context: Capital support scheme to encourage indigenous deep-tech and cutting-edge technologies.
Deep technology:
- It refers to advanced technologies based on some form of substantial scientific or engineering innovation.
- The innovations are “deep” in that they are sophisticated, very advanced answers to complex challenges or issues.
Governments Support:
- Financial support to encourage adoption of indigenous deep-tech and cutting-edge technologies in defence, energy and electronics.
- Initial period of five years, scheme to be run by
- National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) and
- National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF)
Challenges in deep tech:
- Need for greater investment in R&D.
- Improvement in infrastructure.
- Addressing regulatory and policy hurdles.
| Prelims Connect (Institutions in News):
National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) ● India’s fifth All India Financial Institution (AIFI),established in 2021 under NaBFID Act 2021. ● Core function: it directly or indirectly lends, invests in, or attracts investments for infrastructure projects across India. ● Regulated and supervised by Reserve Bank of India. National Investment and Infrastructure Fund: ● Established in 2015. ● Anchored by the Government of India but functions with operational independence. Collaborative investment platform: It attracts capital from both domestic and foreign sources to fund infrastructure and related sectors in India |
| +1 Advantage for Mains (Data Point)
India’s gross expenditure on R&D is at around 0.7% of GDP compared with its BRICS peers— China (2.4%), Brazil (1.3%) and Russia (1.1%). |
