India’s R&D Architecture: Status, Challenges & Way Ahead

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A new report titled ‘Evaluation of Innovation Excellence Indicators of Public Funded R&D Organisations’ was released by the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Centre for Technology, Innovation, and Economic Research (CTIER).
It assessed 244 public-funded R&D organisations (excluding defence, space, atomic energy, and universities) to evaluate their innovation performance and contribution towards national priorities.

Research & Development Architecture in India: Key Statistics

GERD (% of GDP): India’s R&D spending is 0.64%, significantly below the global average of 1.79%.
Private Sector in GERD: The private sector contributes only 37% to India’s GERD, compared to 68% in the US and 75% in China.
Applied Research Share: Merely ~13% of India’s R&D funding goes to applied research, limiting its scope for innovation and commercialisation.
Global Innovation Index 2024: India ranks 39^th globally, indicating modest progress in innovation performance.
Women in R&D: Women make up about 14% of India’s R&D workforce, significantly lower than the global average of approximately 30%.

Key Reasons for Low R&D in India

Low R&D Spending: India allocates merely 0.64% of its GDP to R&D (2020–21), significantly lower than nations like the US (2.8%) and South Korea (4.2%).
Weak Private Sector Role: Private firms represent only 36.4% of GERD in India, whereas they account for over 50% in most developed nations.
Regulatory Hurdles: Complex procedures and limited incentives hinder private R&D investment.
Brain Drain: Over 3 million Indian-origin scientists and engineers work abroad, which reduces domestic research capacity.
Poor Academia-Industry Links: Fewer than 10% of Indian R&D institutions have strong collaborations with industry, which limits applied research.

Strategic Challenges Hindering R&D in India

Low Private Sector Participation: The private sector contributed 36.4% to India’s GERD, well below the 50% of other nations (India’s R&D Survey).
Brain Drain and Talent Gaps: Over 85,000 researchers of Indian origin work abroad due to better opportunities and infrastructure (OECD).
Fragmented Research Ecosystem: Public R&D labs in India lack collaboration with universities and startups, limiting innovation (CII 2023 Study).
Infrastructural Limitations: Outdated facilities and a lack of high-performance computing limit scientific progress in India (India Innovation Index).
Unbalanced Research Focus: Only 13% of R&D funding in India is allocated to applied research, hindering commercialisation (NITI Aayog 2023 Report).

Government Initiatives to Boost R&D

Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF): Launched under the ANRF Act 2023, it boosts India’s R&D by funding and fostering collaboration between research bodies, industry, and academia.
National AI Mission: To drive innovation and growth, the mission focuses on advancing AI research and applications in sectors like healthcare, agriculture, education, and governance.
Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB): Supports basic and applied scientific research, focusing on investigator-led projects and the development of advanced technologies.
Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): Promotes innovation and entrepreneurship by setting up Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) and Atal Incubation Centers (AICs), fostering young innovators and startups.
Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC): Supports the biotech industry with funding, innovation, and academia-industry collaborations.
Ucchatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY): Encourages industry-academia collaboration for advanced research on solving national challenges.
National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NMQTA): Advance quantum tech and establish India as a global leader in quantum computing and cryptography.

Way Forward

Raise GERD to 1% of GDP by 2030: Develop a comprehensive roadmap involving the government and private sectors.
Create Research Clusters and Innovation Corridors: Establish innovation hubs connecting labs, universities, and startups to foster collaborative research.
Enhance Investigator-Driven Funding: Expand SERB-like programs, increasing researcher autonomy and funding for high-impact projects.
Mission-Driven Approach: Launch focused missions in genomics, energy storage, dark matter, and mathematical sciences to drive global leadership.
Leverage CSR and FDI for Research Funding: Expand R&D eligibility under CSR and attract foreign investments in Indian research.
Promote Diversity and Inclusion: Increase representation of women, rural researchers, and marginalised communities in science.

India is on the cusp of a research and innovation transformation, requiring bold policy, funding, and institutional mindset reforms to emerge as a global leader and realise Viksit Bharat’s vision by 2047.

Reference: The Hindu

PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 183

Q. What are the significant shortcomings in India’s public-funded R&D ecosystem highlighted in recent evaluations? Examine the strategic steps needed to make India a global innovation hub by 2047. (150 Words) (10 Marks)

Approach

Introduction: Briefly introduce the status of R&D in India and refer to the recent evaluation by the Principal Scientific Adviser, CII, and CTIER.
Body: Discuss the shortcomings of the public-funded R&D ecosystem and strategic steps to transform R&D by 2047.
Conclusion: In conclusion, summarize the need for long-term reforms and collaboration to achieve the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.