{"id":80323,"date":"2026-07-29T17:56:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-29T12:26:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=80323"},"modified":"2026-07-29T17:58:17","modified_gmt":"2026-07-29T12:28:17","slug":"india-innovation-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/29-07-2026\/india-innovation-strategy","title":{"rendered":"The Next Frontier in India&#8217;s Innovation Strategy"},"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>India&#8217;s rise in the <strong>Global Innovation Index<\/strong> must now be matched by <strong>stronger home-grown R&amp;D, business sophistication, and emphasis on domestic intellectual property ownership.<\/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>Global Innovation Index (GII)<\/strong> is a metric of<strong> R&amp;D output <\/strong>maintained by the<strong> World Intellectual Property Organization.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India <strong>was ranked 81st globally<\/strong> in the<strong> GII 2015,<\/strong> and <strong>rose to 38th rank in 2025.<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>India also holds the<strong> top position among lower-middle-income countries <\/strong>and within the Central and Southern Asian region.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Since 2015,<\/strong> the Indian government&#8217;s sustained encouragement of the research and development (R&amp;D) ecosystem, along with new science-backed policies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img data-dominant-color=\"dde1e1\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #dde1e1;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"615\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-252.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-80324\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-252.png 615w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/07\/image-252-300x156.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>India\u2019s Ambitions: <\/strong>The Indian government<strong> aims to ascend among the leading nations in the GII.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Govt. is investing in <strong>venture stakes in strategic technology sectors <\/strong>such as <strong>semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and space.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The approximately US$10 billion Anusandhan National Research Foundation Fund<\/strong> is expected to propel R&amp;D financing across various academic and scientific disciplines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Areas India Needs to Improve in<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The six other categories in the GII country rankings suggest <strong>considerable scope for improvement.\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>These are: <\/strong>Knowledge and Technology, Creative Outputs, Human Capital and Research, Institutions, Infrastructure, and Business Sophistication.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India ranks below its overall position of 38th in five of these six categories.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The key to improving performance across these categories lies in<strong> strengthening the &#8216;Business Sophistication&#8217; of the country&#8217;s R&amp;D ecosystem.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The metrics within the GII\u2019s Business Sophistication category<strong> are subdivided into three distinct sub-categories:\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Knowledge Workers,<\/strong> which measures the share of employment engaged in knowledge-intensive activities;\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Innovation Linkages,<\/strong> which assesses collaboration between the public and private research sectors;\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>and Knowledge Absorption, <\/strong>which includes indicators such as foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows, high-technology imports, information and communication technology (ICT) services imports, and payments for intellectual property, expressed as proportions of total trade.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Concerns Needs to be Addressed<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Patent Filing: <\/strong>The quantity of patents filed should not be regarded as the sole objective, despite its influence on India\u2019s overall GII ranking.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An increase in the number of patents granted in India, as well as in high-impact patents, should become the next shared objective.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Technological Innovation: <\/strong>The technological interventions needed must emerge from India&#8217;s own R&amp;D ecosystem, foreign innovation will not solve India&#8217;s challenges and security threats.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Funding Constraints:<\/strong> Despite robust government support, private sector investment in R&amp;D in India remains limited compared to global benchmarks, constraining large-scale innovation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Talent Retention Challenges: <\/strong>The <strong>brain drain persists<\/strong>, as skilled researchers are often drawn abroad by better infrastructure, funding, and career advancement opportunities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Limited University-Industry Collaboration:<\/strong> Weak links between academia and industry hinder commercialization of research.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Skilled Workforce Deficit:<\/strong> Shortage of trained R&amp;D professionals in deep-tech and interdisciplinary fields.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Major Initiatives taken by the Government<\/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 Ahead<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>For India to enter the top 10 of the GII,<\/strong> its science and technology (S&amp;T) policymakers <strong>must make fundamental changes to the country&#8217;s approach to innovation.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India must improve its performance<strong> across the individual indicators underpinning the overall GII ranking.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>India should <strong>strengthen business sophistication within its innovation ecosystem.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ensure that domestic and indigenous intellectual property applicants fare better.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.orfonline.org\/expert-speak\/from-rankings-to-ownership-the-next-frontier-in-india-s-innovation-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>ORF<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> India&#8217;s rise in the Global Innovation Index must now be matched by stronger home-grown R&#038;D, business sophistication, and emphasis on domestic intellectual property ownership. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> About <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Global Innovation Index (GII) is a metric of R&#038;D output maintained by the World Intellectual Property Organization.\u00a0 <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> India was ranked 81st globally in the GII 2015, and rose to 38th rank in 2025. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/29-07-2026\/india-innovation-strategy \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"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-80323","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\/80323","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\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80323"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80323\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80327,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80323\/revisions\/80327"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}