{"id":66552,"date":"2026-02-12T17:43:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-12T12:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=66552"},"modified":"2026-02-12T17:46:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-12T12:16:07","slug":"science-funding-budget-gaps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/12-02-2026\/science-funding-budget-gaps","title":{"rendered":"Budget Gives Big Science Allocations, but Core Funding Gaps Remain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS3\/Science and Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Union Budget 2026\u201327 <\/strong>projects <strong>strong ambition in science-led growth<\/strong>, but experts caution that its success depends on <strong>effective delivery, timely funding, institutional autonomy, and transparent innovation financing.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>In 2023-24, allocation for the Department of Biotechnology<\/strong> was revised down from \u20b92,683.86 crore to \u20b91,607.32 crore, and actual spending fell further to \u20b91,467.34 crore.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Likewise for the Department of Science and Technology, <\/strong>from \u20b97,931.05 crore to \u20b94,891.78 crore and actuals of \u20b94,002.67 crore.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mission-Mode Push in Science: <\/strong>The budget supports major missions like Semiconductor Mission 2.0, CCUS, critical minerals, and biomanufacturing hubs, but concerns remain over long-term, stable financing beyond policy announcements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>R&amp;D Expenditure in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India\u2019s Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) as a percentage of GDP remained between <strong>0.6% to 0.7% <\/strong>which is <strong>below the global average<\/strong> and lower than countries <strong>like China, South Korea and the US.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Another factor contributing to this is the <strong>relatively low investment by India\u2019s private sector<\/strong>, accounting for <strong>only around 36%,<\/strong> whereas in the aforementioned countries, <strong>private sector contributions are more than 70%<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Central Government contributes <strong>43.7% of total R&amp;D expenditure.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"c9cae2\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"497\" height=\"497\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-55.png\" alt=\"r&amp;d expenditure in india\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-66553\" style=\"--dominant-color: #c9cae2; width:401px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-55.png 497w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-55-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-55-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 497px) 100vw, 497px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Need for Funding in R&amp;D<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Economic Growth<\/strong>: Drives new industries, improves productivity, and enhances global competitiveness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Technological Advancement<\/strong>: Facilitates breakthroughs in fields like AI, biotechnology, and renewable energy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Social Challenges<\/strong>: Helps address poverty, healthcare, education, and environmental sustainability issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Job Creation<\/strong>: Innovation generates employment opportunities and stimulates entrepreneurship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Global Positioning<\/strong>: Positions India as a global leader in science, technology, and knowledge.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Attracts Investment<\/strong>: Promotes foreign and domestic investments in research-driven sectors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Implications of Low Funding<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Investment Concerns<\/strong>: Limited investment in research and development, especially in public institutions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Infrastructure Gaps<\/strong>: Inadequate research facilities and resources in many institutions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Brain Drain<\/strong>: Loss of talent to other countries due to better opportunities abroad.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lack of Industry Collaboration<\/strong>: Limited partnerships between academia and industry for practical innovation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Skill Gaps<\/strong>: Insufficient training and development of skilled researchers and innovators.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Government Initiatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme: <\/strong>Approved with a \u20b91 lakh crore corpus, this scheme aims to energise private-sector R&amp;D and deep-tech startups.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It offers long-term, low- or zero-interest loans, equity investments, and funds a new Deep-Tech Fund of Funds via the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF): <\/strong>The ANRF established in 2023, provides high-level strategic direction for research, innovation, and entrepreneurship in science and technology.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Foundation aims to mobilise funds amounting to \u20b950,000 crore during 2023\u201328 through multiple streams, including the ANRF Fund, Innovation Fund, Science and Engineering Research Fund, and Special Purpose Funds.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Geospatial Policy, 2022: <\/strong>It seeks to position India as a global leader in the geospatial sector by 2035.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The policy liberalises access to geospatial data, encouraging its use in governance, business, and research.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Indian Space Policy, 2023: <\/strong>It builds on the space reforms introduced in 2020, which opened the domain to non-governmental entities for end-to-end participation.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It aims to enhance space capabilities, promote a flourishing commercial space industry, and foster collaboration between public and private entities.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Quantum Mission: <\/strong>Allocated \u20b96,003.65 crore for 2023\u201331, to advance quantum technologies through scientific and industrial R&amp;D.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>BioE3 Policy, 2024:<\/strong> It encourages the creation of Biomanufacturing and Bio-AI hubs, along with a national Biofoundry network, to accelerate technology development and commercialisation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>National Supercomputing Mission (NSM): <\/strong>Launched in 2015, the initiative empowers universities, research institutions, and government agencies with state-of-the-art supercomputing systems connected through the National Knowledge Network.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India Semiconductor Mission (ISM): <\/strong>Established in 2021, the mission seeks to build a robust ecosystem for semiconductor and display manufacturing.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India has already approved 10 semiconductor projects across six states, including the first commercial Silicon Carbide fabrication facility in Odisha.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>India AI Mission: <\/strong>The IndiaAI Mission embodies the vision of \u201cMaking AI in India and Making AI Work for India.\u201d\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is advancing rapidly, having already increased computing capacity from an initial target of 10,000 GPUs to 38,000 GPUs, ensuring accessible AI infrastructure for startups, researchers, and industries.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Atal Innovation Mission (AIM): <\/strong>To foster innovation at the grassroots level by providing support to students, startups, and entrepreneurs.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The National Mission on High-Yielding Seeds <\/strong>will focus on strengthening the research ecosystem and developing high-yielding, pest-resistant, and climate-resilient seeds, aligning with DBT\u2019s efforts in agricultural biotechnology.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Seaweed Mission and Learn &amp; Earn Program<\/strong> empower women entrepreneurs, supporting economic inclusion.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Way Forward<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>To raise R&amp;D spending, there is a need to have increased partnerships with the private sector.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Efforts are being made to create better synergies between industry, research labs, and educational institutions to broaden both research activity and the funds to support it.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Union Finance Minister has also announced several initiatives, including the Nuclear Energy Mission, initiatives in clean tech, Atal Tinkering Labs, and the Centre of Excellence on AI in Education.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehindu.com\/sci-tech\/science\/budget-gives-science-missions-big-numbers-but-core-funding-gaps-persist\/article70618926.ece\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TH<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> The Union Budget 2026\u201327 projects strong ambition in science-led growth, but experts caution that its success depends on effective delivery, timely funding, institutional autonomy, and transparent innovation financing. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> In 2023-24, allocation for the Department of Biotechnology was revised down from \u20b92,683.86 crore to \u20b91,607.32 crore, and actual spending fell further to \u20b91,467.34 crore.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Likewise for the Department of Science and Technology, from \u20b97,931.05 crore to \u20b94,891.78 crore and actuals of \u20b94,002.67 crore.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/12-02-2026\/science-funding-budget-gaps \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66552"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66552\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66557,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66552\/revisions\/66557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}