Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas (MAHA) - MedTech Mission Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) In collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research and Gates Foundation.
Vision:
Equitable access to high quality, affordable and innovative medical technologies to improve healthcare
Objectives:
Innovative medical devices and IVD (In vitro diagnostics) including High-end Frontier Technologies (Deep Tech like Imaging, Radiotherapy equipment, Robotics, minimal invasive technologies, implants, AI/ML enabled platforms & devices etc.) aligned with National Health Missions/Priorities/ICMR Priority List.
Inter-Institutional (Bio-Medical and Engineering Institutes, Laboratories, Hospitals), Industry-Academia collaborations (Academia, Start-ups registered with DPIIT, MSMEs registered with Udyam, Industries with valid DSIR certification or proven track record in biomedical product development or production) are strongly encouraged. Each partner is allocated well-defined sub- deliverables and timeline as per the committed milestones.
CFP will be received through www.anrfonline.in and evaluated through the evaluation procedures of ANRF, by following the implementation strategies identified for this CFP.
Activities | |
---|---|
CFP for Concept Note | 15th September 2025 |
Closure of the CFP for Concept Note | 31st October 2025 |
Release of invitation for full proposal | 1st December 2025 |
Closure of CFP for full proposal | 31st December 2025 |
Tentative date of announcement of results | First week of February 2026 |
This CFP (Concept Note) is issued by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Department of Health Research, Government of India, Gates Foundation to gather inputs from interested entities for the MAHA MedTech Mission.
Dr. Pramod Kumar Prasad
Scientist - E
Anusandhan National Research Foundation
Email: pk-prasad[at]anrf[dot]gov[dot]in
Q1: What is the महा MedTech Mission?
A1: The Government of India, through the Anusandhan National Research Foundation
(ANRF) in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the
Gates Foundation, has launched the Mission for Advancement in High-Impact Areas
(MAHA) MedTech Mission. The Mission has a total budgeted financial outlay of ₹750
crore over 5 years.
This Mission is designed to enable the development and commercialization of highquality, affordable, and innovative medical technologies. It aims to spur innovation,
reduce dependence on high-cost imports, and promote equitable access to high quality,
affordable and innovative medical technologies to improve healthcare outcomes.
Q2: What are the Mission’s core objectives?
A2: The mission’s objectives are three-fold:
Q3: What should I do if I have queries that are not covered in this FAQ?
A3: If you have additional questions or require further clarification you may reach out to the Mission team at: pk-prasad[at]anrf[dot]gov[dot]in or mahamedtechmission[at]gmail[dot]com
Q4: What kind of entities are eligible to apply?
A4: Applications are open to a wide range of entities, including:
Q5: Can foreign nationals participate in the Mission?
A5: Foreign nationals (including OCI and PIO) may participate if employed by an eligible institution in India, as a Principal Investigator (PI) with an Indian Co-PI, or as a co-PI with an Indian PI, provided they have sufficient residual official service in India (project duration +1 year).
Q6: Can multiple organizations submit a joint application?
A6: Yes, the Mission encourages joint applications involving collaborations across institutions. For example:
Q7: Can projects that have currently or in the past been funded by other government schemes apply?
A7: Yes, the scheme allows any project that has currently or in the past been funded by any government scheme to apply for funding, subject to the condition that funds made available under the scheme are for augmentation and there is no duplication in expenditures booked under the two schemes.
Q8: Can projects that are applying to DOP PRIP Scheme also apply to महा MedTech Mission?
A8: Yes, projects that are eligible for both महा MedTech Mission and PRIP are encouraged to apply to both schemes simultaneously.
Q9: Can the same entity submit more than one application in a call?
A9: There is no restriction on number of applications from an eligible entity.
Q10: Can the same Principal Investigator (PI) submit more than one application in a call?
A10: An individual can be concurrently involved in at most one project proposal as a PI and at most one project as a Co-PI, to ensure adequate project focus and accountability.
Q11: What TRL (technology readiness level) stages are eligible under this Mission?
A11: This Mission will fund innovative technologies with established proof-of-concept (TRL-3
or above), with TRLs as defined in Annexure II.
Projects that have reached TRL 3 will have:
Q12: If the project is currently at TRL-2 stage, is it eligible to apply for funding under the mission?
A12: Projects that are only at TRL-2 stage of development are not eligible to apply for the
mission. Similarly, projects that are only at TRL-1 stage of development are also not
eligible.
Projects that have reached TRL 3 will have:
Q13: What kinds of medical technologies are in scope for this call?
A13: The Mission will support a broad spectrum of innovative medical devices that address India’s national health priorities. These include, but are not limited to:
Q14: How is it determined whether a medical device has a predicate or not?
A14: A device is considered to have a predicate if it can be shown to be substantially equivalent to an already approved device. Substantial equivalence means the new device has:
Q15: How much funding can a project receive?
A15: Projects will receive funding support in the range of ₹5 crore to ₹25 crore, depending on the scope, scale, and stage of development of the project. In exceptional cases, funding support of up to ₹50 crore may be considered.
Q16: What is the typical project duration that can be supported?
A16: Projects under the Mission will typically be supported for a duration of 2 to 5 years,
depending on the stage of development, scope of work, and milestones proposed. The
exact duration will be finalized during evaluation and grant agreement.
Projects that are expected to reach commercialization beyond this timeframe are
eligible to apply by defining milestones achievable within the Mission’s support period.
Q17: How are projects divided into sub-projects under the Mission, and what does this mean for funding and support?
A17: A project may be divided into sub-projects based on its stage of development:
Q18: What are the key funding terms and conditions that applicants should be aware of?
A18: Cost sharing:
The scheme provides a grant with no requirement of benefit or equity sharing.
IP ownership:The intellectual property (IP) generated under the महा MedTech Mission will be owned by the grantee itself.
Milestone-linked payments:Disbursements will be tied to the achievement of approved technical and developmental milestones, with subsequent tranches released once satisfactory progress is demonstrated against the agreed roadmap.
Q19: How can funding be used?
A19: Funding under the Mission may be used for legitimate R&D, manufacturing and
commercialization activities aligned to the approved project plan. Broadly:
Q20: Will there be any non-financial support available beyond the grant?
A20: In addition to financial support, the Mission will also provide support such as:
Q21: How long will the Mission run, and when will grants be given?
A21: The Mission will run for 5 years. The first call for applications will be in October - December 2025 with grants given in February/March 2026. The Mission expects to make two more funding calls, giving applicants multiple opportunities to apply.
Q22: What are the key dates and deadlines for the current call?
A22: Refer to the ANRF website for timeline of closure of CFP for Concept Note. The CFP for the full proposal will open tentatively in December 2025, with results announced around February 2026.
Q23: Is it mandatory to submit a Concept Note, or can applicants directly submit a Full Proposal?
A23: Submission of a Concept Note is mandatory. A subset of applicants from the Concept Note stage will be invited to submit a Full Proposal.
Q24: What types of evidence are acceptable to demonstrate the TRL stage of a project?
A24: Applicants must provide evidence to substantiate the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) they are claiming. The following are indicative examples of acceptable proof at each TRL stage:
Q25: What are the selection criteria for progressing from the Concept Note stage to the full application?
A25: Concept Notes will be evaluated across several dimensions, including (but not limited to):
Q26: Will shortlisted applicants be asked to present or demonstrate?
A26: No presentations or demonstrations will be required at the Concept Note stage.
Q27: If an applicant is not selected for funding, can they re-apply in future calls?
A27: Applicants who are not selected will be given structured feedback on their submission and will be eligible to reapply in subsequent calls.
Q28: Will information in the Concept Note submission and the Full proposal submission be kept confidential?
A28: All data and information submitted for the Concept Note or Full Proposal stage will be kept confidential. The evaluation committees will use this information only for assessment purposes.