Russian Industry and Trade Ministry expects to resume subsidy for enterprises switching to Russian software from 2026
MOSCOW. Oct 13 (Interfax) - The Russian Industry and Trade Ministry expects that funds for a subsidy allocated to cover part of the costs for companies switching to domestic software will be included in the federal budget for the upcoming three-year period, Industry and Trade Minister Anton Alikhanov said at a meeting with the United Russia and LDPR factions of the State Duma.
"We have received instructions, and starting next year we are implementing special support measures for particularly complex software products. These include PLM systems and full lifecycle systems. And also starting next year we ask for support ahead of the next budget readings - we would like to return to one of the support measures that existed several years ago. This is, essentially, the subsidizing of the transition to domestic software in our companies. Because, even when solutions are released, companies do not always hurry to implement them. We would like, over the next few years, to create financial incentives, among others, for a faster, speedier transition to domestic software," Alikhanov said.
According to national development goals, the government must ensure the transition to Russian software for at least 80% of organizations in key economic sectors by 2030, he said.
As reported, following the CIPR conference this year, the Digital Development Ministry, the Industry and Trade Ministry and the Russian Fund for the Development of Information Technologies (RFDIT) were instructed to prepare a methodology for determining priority areas for replacing foreign industry-specific solutions with Russian analogues for each industry. Based on this methodology, industry committees for the replacement of foreign digital solutions will have to prepare proposals for the formation of industry IT landscapes. At the same time, for each industry, it is necessary to determine typical elements of critical information infrastructure and the deadlines for their transition to domestic software. Furthermore, industry ministries are obligated to establish a general rule for replacing foreign-specific equipment with built-in software with Russian analogues.
A subsidy was in effect in 2021-2024 with which small and medium-sized enterprises could purchase Russian software at a 50% discount from the average market price. Subsidies were provided directly to software developers. The RFDIT administered the payments.
