New Delhi: The MAHA Water Mission, a ₹200-crore initiative jointly launched by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, aims to support startups, MSMEs, research institutions and innovators working on critical water challenges across India.
Launching the MAHA Water Mission, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, and Minister of State for PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that ANRF is democratizing research funding by expanding opportunities beyond a limited group of established institutions.
The Minister was addressing the inaugural session of the National Workshop on R&D in Water held at Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi.
He stated that the Anusandhan National Research Foundation was established to address concerns that a significant portion of research funding had traditionally been concentrated among a few institutions, while smaller universities, startups and emerging innovators remained outside the mainstream innovation ecosystem.
According to Dr. Jitendra Singh, ANRF is broadening access to scientific resources, partnerships and mission-oriented research opportunities, enabling institutions and innovators from across the country to contribute to national priorities.
He emphasized that the MAHA Water Mission represents a significant step in creating an inclusive innovation ecosystem focused on addressing India’s water challenges.
MAHA Missions Expanding Innovation Opportunities
Highlighting ANRF’s growing role in mission-driven innovation, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the foundation has already launched Missions for Advancement in High-Impact Areas (MAHA) across strategic sectors such as Electric Vehicles, Drones, Medical Technologies, 6G Communications and Water.
These initiatives, including the MAHA Water Mission, are designed to create an integrated pathway from fundamental research to technology development, validation and deployment.
The programmes bring together academia, industry, startups and government institutions to solve critical national challenges through collaborative innovation.
“The launch of the MAHA Water Mission marks another major step in this direction,” the Minister noted.
Aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Vision
Dr. Jitendra Singh said the MAHA Water Mission reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of leveraging science, technology and innovation to address developmental priorities.
He pointed out that the creation of the Ministry of Jal Shakti brought water-related functions under a unified framework, making water security a national priority.
The Minister explained that the MAHA Water Mission seeks to strengthen this vision by creating a collaborative platform that connects scientific institutions, industry stakeholders, startups and grassroots participants to develop scalable and sustainable solutions for the water sector.
India’s Startup Ecosystem Driving Innovation
Referring to India’s rapidly expanding startup ecosystem, Dr. Jitendra Singh said the country has grown from approximately 350–400 startups a decade ago to more than two lakh startups today, generating nearly 20–24 lakh jobs.
He said India’s startup movement has emerged as one of the strongest drivers of innovation-led growth and that initiatives such as the MAHA Water Mission are intended to channel entrepreneurial talent toward solving national challenges while simultaneously creating opportunities in research, employment and technology development.
Whole-of-Government Approach Transforming National Missions
Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the Government’s Whole-of-Government approach in implementing national missions.
Drawing parallels with reforms in the space sector, he said policy changes under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership expanded participation and opened new opportunities for innovators and private enterprises.
He noted that India’s space economy, valued at nearly USD 9 billion today, is expected to reach approximately USD 40–45 billion in the coming years.
According to the Minister, this growth demonstrates the impact of collaborative innovation, policy support and wider stakeholder participation—principles that are also guiding the MAHA Water Mission.
The Minister further cited initiatives such as SVAMITVA and PM GatiShakti as examples of how space technology is delivering developmental benefits in governance, infrastructure planning, agriculture, resource mapping and public service delivery.
Technology and Space Applications for Water Management
Referring to the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Department of Space/ISRO, Dr. Jitendra Singh said satellite technologies, geospatial applications and scientific data are playing an increasingly important role in water resource mapping, groundwater assessment, irrigation planning and infrastructure development.
He added that future collaborations involving the Earth Sciences Ministry, Biotechnology institutions, CSIR laboratories and other scientific organizations would further strengthen India’s ability to address water-related challenges through technology-driven solutions under the MAHA Water Mission framework.
MAHA Water Mission: Open Call for Startups and MSMEs
During the event, Dr. Jitendra Singh and Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri C.R. Patil jointly launched the ANRF–MoJS MAHA Water Mission, released the mission flyer and announced an open call for proposals.
An Open Call for Startups and MSMEs focused on product and prototype development was also launched during the inaugural session.
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₹200-Crore Mission to Address Water Challenges
The MAHA Water Mission has been conceived as a national platform to accelerate innovation in the water sector by connecting science, entrepreneurship, industry, academia and grassroots participation.
With a projected outlay of ₹200 crore over five years, jointly funded by ANRF and the Ministry of Jal Shakti, the mission will support multidisciplinary consortia comprising universities, national laboratories, research organizations, startups, MSMEs and industry partners.
Selected consortia will be eligible for support of up to ₹20 crore to undertake technology development, field assessment, validation and deployment of high-impact solutions for the water sector.
Five Priority Areas Under MAHA Water Mission
The MAHA Water Mission will focus on five key themes:
- Water Resource Assessment and Sustainable Management
- Drinking Water
- Water Quality and Ecological Health
- Water Use Efficiency and Circular Economy
- Climate Resilience and Adaptation
The initiative aims to support innovations from laboratory research through field deployment while generating scalable and localized solutions to strengthen India’s long-term water security.
Pathway to Commercialisation
Dr. Jitendra Singh also referred to the Government’s broader Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) framework, stating that it would provide an additional pathway for technologies emerging from programmes such as the MAHA Water Mission to move toward commercialization and large-scale deployment.
He encouraged startups, researchers, innovators and institutions to actively participate in opportunities being created through ANRF and contribute to developing indigenous solutions for national priorities.
