ISM Design Linked Incentive
Up to 50% reimbursement on design costs + financial incentives over 5 years for fabless chip-design startups.
Quick facts
- Ministry / Agency
- MeitY / India Semiconductor Mission
- Funding
- Up to 50% design cost + 5-yr incentives
- Stage
- mvp, early-revenue, growth
- Sector
- semiconductors, deeptech, hardware
- Equity dilution
- none
- DPIIT recognition required
- No
- NRI / OCI eligibility
- Eligible if the entity is Indian-incorporated; the founder's NRI / OCI status is treated as Indian for this scheme.
Who is eligible
Fabless chip-design startups (Indian)
How to apply
ISM DLI is administered by MeitY / India Semiconductor Mission. Applications are submitted through the official portal — there are no application fees and you do not need to go through third-party intermediaries.
Apply on the official portalRelated schemes
Other schemes that often pair with ISM DLI or apply to a similar profile.
iDEX SPARK / DISC
Up to ₹1.5 Cr SPARK grant for defence prototype against problem statements. Procurement path via DAP 2020.
Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes
Output-based 4-6% sales subsidy over 5-6 years across 13+ sectors. For hardware-heavy startups already in production.
IN-SPACe Seed Fund
Up to ₹1 Cr at idea/prototype stage for spacetech with mentoring. 400+ space startups.
Drone Shakti & Drone Manufacturing PLI
New 5-yr manufacturing scheme has in-principle clearance, notification pending.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for ISM DLI?+
Fabless chip-design startups (Indian)
What is the funding amount under ISM DLI?+
Up to 50% design cost + 5-yr incentives. Up to 50% design cost + 5-yr incentives
Can NRI or OCI founders apply for ISM DLI?+
Eligible if the entity is Indian-incorporated; the founder's NRI / OCI status is treated as Indian for this scheme.
Does ISM DLI require DPIIT recognition?+
No — DPIIT recognition is not required for ISM DLI.
How do I apply for ISM DLI?+
Apply through the official portal at ism.gov.in. The scheme is administered by MeitY / India Semiconductor Mission.
Want to see what else you qualify for?
Take the 60-second finder. Get a ranked list of schemes matched to your profile.
Start the Finder