Catalytic Collaborative Grant — Research Program

The Catalytic Collaborative Grant supports established scientists in India who want to extend a strong existing body of work into a new biomedical research direction. One principal investigator leads a team with one or two co-investigators whose expertise must add capabilities beyond the principal investigator’s laboratory.

Projects may cover basic science, clinical research, or public health research and must be based through an eligible institution in India. The programme is intended to generate preliminary evidence and conceptual advances that can support future large-scale collaborative funding.

Benefits & funding

Up to ₹4 crore for a three-year project, including all project costs and 5% institutional overheads.
Eligible costs include research expenses, project staff, minor equipment, travel, open-access publication, and justified access to facilities or specialised services.
Each project must fund internships of three to six months for at least four students from resource-limited or Tier-2 or Tier-3 settings, with up to ₹3 lakh available per student.
Conference and meeting travel is capped at ₹9 lakh across the grant, and up to ₹10 lakh may be requested as a flexible funding allowance.

Eligibility

The principal investigator must hold a PhD, MD, MS, MPH, or equivalent qualification and have a strong, sustained research record.
For the 2026 first round, the principal investigator needed 6–14 years of experience leading an independent research laboratory or group in India; the standard guideline range is 6–12 years.
The principal investigator must hold a regular academic or research position with salary support for the award period, and service tenure covering the project plus one additional year from the deadline.
One or two co-investigators may join and must hold a PhD, MD, MS, MPH, or equivalent qualification, have an appropriate research record, and hold a regular position with salary support for the grant period.
There is no age or nationality restriction, but the principal investigator’s host institution and the research programme must be based in India.
Host institutions must be financially eligible to receive India Alliance funding and meet the stated governance, ethics, research-integrity, and grant-administration requirements.

Can you apply?

Here's who can apply

Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.

Residence required
India
Education required
Master · PhD
Experience required
6–14 yrs

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Application process

1
Obtain the application form released after the competition launch and confirm the round-specific submission instructions.
2
Form a team of one principal investigator and one or two co-investigators, and secure institutional sponsors who can guarantee space and support.
3
Prepare the research plan, milestones, risk controls, regulatory information, itemised three-year budget, and all required investigator and institutional undertakings.
4
Compile the completed form and supporting documents into one PDF.
5
Submit the PDF to the email address specified for the live competition before the deadline.
6
Applications that pass initial screening proceed to international peer review and then a final in-person interview, which the principal investigator must attend.

Program timeline

Applications opened for the 2026 first round.
Mar 16, 2026
Application deadline for the 2026 first round.
May 18, 2026
After initial shortlisting
International peer review.
Final selection stage
In-person interview.
Within the financial year of the decision
Successful awards are activated.