| Syllabus: GS- III, Subject: Science and Technology, Topic: Indigenization and Development of Technologies, Issue: Research and development(R&D) in India. |
Analysis of Research and development (R&D) funding landscape:
- Despite significant increase in Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD), the overall numbers in percentage of GDP remains low.
- GERD is mainly fueled by the government sector (~63%).
- 54% of R&D funding goes primarily to four institutions-DRDO (~30%), Department of Space (~18%), ICAR (~12%), Department of Atomic Energy (~11%)
- Higher Educational Institutions contribute only 8.8% to overall R&D.
- Despite low allocation to R&D, India has emerged as a powerhouse in producing academic talent.
Challenges in India’s R&D ecosystem:
- Ensuring equitable fund distribution,
- fostering interdisciplinary collaborations,
- upholding global standards.
Steps taken by government:
- National Deep Tech Startup Policy (NDTSP) – holds the potential to incentivize private sector engagement in India’s R&D ecosystem.
- Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) Act, underscores the government’s dedication to catalyzing research and innovation.
The way ahead
- Closing the existing gap demands a dual strategy:
- encouraging private sector involvement and
- fortifying academia’s research infrastructure.
