DRDO Technology Development Fund (TDF)
Open continuously
No deadline — apply whenever you are ready.
Up to INR 50 crore per project (ceiling raised from INR 10 crore in 2022) covering up to 90% of the development cost of defence technologies by Indian MSMEs and startups.
You must co-fund 10%.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence
public · national
Deadline: annual_call — DRDO publishes technology development problem statements on the TDF portal; each statement carries its own submission window.
This funder does not publish a success rate. We rank it using the rate observed across similar programmes and label it as an estimate rather than implying we know.
Quick — mostly identity and bank details.
You fund 10% yourself.
Who can apply
- Sectors: deeptech, space, manufacturing
- R&D activity required
- Locally registered entity required
Indian MSMEs and startups with an Indian development partner; the project must map to a published DRDO problem statement. DPIIT recognition is not mandatory but is commonly held by applicants.
Source. https://tdf.drdo.gov.in/ — checked 2026-08-14 · not human-checked