A Grand Vision and the Great Indian Research Deficit

Syllabus: GS3/Science & Technology

Context

• India’s ambitions to become a global innovation powerhouse remain constrained by limited R&D spending, despite possessing one of the world’s largest pools of human capital and a rapidly growing economy.

Scale of the R&D Deficit

• Mismatch Between Population & Research Output: India houses 17.5% of the world’s population but contributes only 3% of global research output.
  • It reflects a chronic underutilization of intellectual potential and systemic underinvestment in high-value research.
• Patent Activity (Growth Without Depth): India ranked 6th globally in 2023 for total patent filings (WIPO) with an impressive 15.7% growth rate.
  • However, India’s global share remains a mere 1.8%, and when adjusted for population (resident applications per million), it ranks 47th, exposing weak grassroots innovation intensity.
• Investment Crisis: India spends only 0.6 – 0.7% of its GDP on R&D (Gross Expenditure on R&D), one of the lowest among major economies.
  • However, China, the United States, South Korea, and Israel spend about 2.4%, 3.5%, 4.2% and 5.4% respectively.
  • In contrast, Huawei alone spent $23.4 billion on R&D in 2023, exceeding India’s total combined public and private R&D expenditure.
• Structural Barriers to Innovation:
  • Government-dominated R&D: The government sector still drives 63.6% of total funds unlike innovation-driven economies where the private sector contributes over two-thirds of R&D spending.
    • The private sector’s 36.4% share reveals a business culture focused on incremental gains rather than disruptive breakthroughs.
    • A study commissioned by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser found that only about 25% of public-funded R&D institutions support startup incubation, and just 15% support deep-tech ventures.
  • Academia-industry Disconnect: India’s universities often produce theoretical research with limited industrial relevance.
    • Mechanisms for technology transfer, commercialization, and joint research remain weak.
  • Brain Drain & Weak Research Infrastructure: A significant proportion of India’s brightest researchers and engineers continue to migrate abroad for better funding and facilities.
    • Domestically, limited high-end research infrastructure, lower salaries, and bureaucratic hurdles deter both talent retention and high-impact research.
  • Bureaucratic Bottlenecks: Public R&D funding is plagued by slow approvals and staggered disbursements, making long-term, ambitious research projects difficult to sustain.
• Institutional and Structural Challenges:
  • Collaboration with international industry and academia remains limited, with only 15% of institutions engaging in such partnerships.

Related Initiatives & Efforts

• Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF): A flagship initiative under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
  • Aims to fund peer-reviewed research across disciplines, especially in underfunded universities and colleges.
  • Designed to bridge gaps between academia, industry, and government research bodies.
• Vigyan Dhara Scheme: A unified scheme launched to promote scientific research, innovation, and technology development.
  • Focuses on capacity building, translational research, and innovation for societal challenges.
• Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund (₹1 Lakh Crore): Offers low-interest loans to private sector entities investing in deep-tech and basic research.
  • Aims to shift India’s R&D model from government-dominated to a more balanced public-private partnership.
• National Access Initiatives: The One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative aims to democratize access to scientific journals and databases for all Indian researchers, reducing barriers to high-quality research.

Way Forward: Building a Culture of Innovation

• Raise R&D Spending to 2% of GDP: India needs to aim to double its R&D – to – GDP ratio to 2% within 5 – 7 years, with the private sector contributing at least 50% of total R&D spending.
  • The newly announced ₹1 lakh crore RDI Fund is a promising start, but its impact will depend on efficient targeting toward frontier technologies.
• Launch National Missions in Strategic Domains: India needs to prioritize sustained, mission-mode research in semiconductors; Artificial Intelligence (AI); Quantum Computing; Advanced Materials; and Green Energy.
  • Each mission needs to have long-term funding, clear milestones, and strong links to economic and national security goals.
• Reforming Higher Education and Research: Universities need to evolve from teaching-focused institutions into centres of excellence for research. It requires:
  • Enhanced PhD funding;
  • Competitive faculty research positions;
  • Development of state-of-the-art research infrastructure;
  • Establishment of industry-sponsored research chairs and joint incubation centres
• Strengthening Intellectual Property Ecosystem: A strong innovation culture demands:
  • Simplified patent processes;
  • Faster approvals;
  • Stronger IP enforcement;
  • Financial incentives for successful commercialization;

Conclusion

• India has the talent and the ambition to emerge as a global innovation leader, but it lacks the structural, financial, and cultural foundation required to harness that potential.
• It needs to be devoted to creating an ecosystem that rewards risk-taking, nurtures research, and values intellectual property to become a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.

Source: TH